


'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven'

by noo



Series: Rascally Verse [3]
Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Community: startrekbigbang, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-23
Updated: 2011-10-23
Packaged: 2017-10-24 21:51:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 53,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/268267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noo/pseuds/noo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the last year of their first five year mission, the crew of the <i>Enterprise</i> come upon a ship, silent and mysterious. The past is about to meet the future. (A reboot of TOS Space Seed episode)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

There was a quiet beep. A few seconds later it repeated, and if anyone was around they might have been able to discover that it was more than a single beep. It was a multitude of machines, all beeping at exactly the same time. Their timing was so precise, it did almost sound as if it was one noise, one beep. The machines were all lined along the various corridors of a space vessel, a vessel which had been abandoned by conscious creatures for centuries. Inside the machines were bodies, set in stasis to preserve them for a long space journey, although they did not anticipate the journey taking as long as it had.

Minds which had been vibrant and busy when they were conscious, now were serene, calm and not a thought passed through. It wouldn’t be long though, before those minds would be awake and the bodies stretching their muscles; a battle coming for them.

The past was about to meet the future.

oOo

Jim leaned forward a little in his chair. Spock had tensed ever so slightly as he was looking through his scanner. Five years ago, Jim wouldn’t have even noticed the movement, but now? He did. He knew the Vulcan better and it made them a formidable team.

There had been rumors of a Romulan incursion in the Gamma 400 system, so Starfleet had sent them off to show a little bit of muscle and see if there was any truth to the rumors. As much as Jim hated these types of missions, after the past few, it was a welcome bit of respite for the crew.

“Mr. Spock? See anything interesting?” Jim asked, sick of waiting for Spock to speak up.

“Captain, there is a vessel in Sector 07 039 02. It is an uninhabited area and there have been no recorded flights in that area in the past--” Spock paused as he glanced from his scanner to another screen on his console, his fingers working dexterously to bring up the information he required. “Fifty years, sir.”

“Fifty years you say?” Jim asked, a little smile hovering on his lips. He still wasn’t above teasing his First Officer on occasion. Jim also noted his navigator and helmsman were watching their by-play with interest, although they were trying to hide it, and it made Jim’s smile widen as he sat back into his chair.

“I did say, Captain,” was all Spock offered in reply. It seemed Spock was not in a teasing mood today; if Jim wanted to get a rise out of him, he would just have to wait until Bones came up to visit the Bridge.

“Any indications as to what type of vessel?” Jim asked, teasing over and back to work. He let out a little breathy sigh.

“No, Captain. Might I suggest it would be beneficial for our mission if we could ascertain exactly the type of vessel?”

“You might. Mr. Chekov, set a course for Sector 07 039 02. Mr. Sulu, impulse engines, we don’t want to sneak up too quickly on them.”

“Aye aye, Captain,” Sulu and Chekov chorused at him, working together like a hive mind.

“Mr. Spock, please inform Engineering and Medical to prepare for scanning of unknown vessel. And Sciences, of course.”

Spock nodded at him and Jim sat back to watch his crew work like a well oiled-machine.

oOo

Bones glanced up from the PADD, which contained suggestions from Dr. Naxi, when the main door to Sickbay swooshed open. He sighed at the sight of Jim.

“That will be all, Dr. Naxi, excellent suggestions,” Bones said, dismissing his co-worker. Bones nodded toward his office and at the slight nod in return from Jim, he walked into the office.

Bones took his customary place, leaning up against his desk, and waited to see where Jim would place himself, so Bones would know what sort of conversation they were likely to have. Jim walked over to stand next to him and mirrored his stance in leaning against the desk. It was time for a ‘shoot the shit’ conversation, and it appeared obvious to Bones that Jim had needed to get out of the chair on the Bridge before he vibrated out of it in anticipation. Or, before Spock could call Bones and tell him to come and remove the Captain. Jim was slowly learning what did and didn’t work while they had these waiting periods.

“Jim,” Bones said.

“Bones,” Jim parroted, the smirk evident in his tone.

“Did Spock kick you off the Bridge?” Bones said as he tilted his head toward Jim and his eyebrow raised up.

“No!” Jim protested and then he laughed. “But it was a near thing. I hate this part.”

“I know, Jim.”

“No sympathy, Bones? I’m wounded!” Jim protested, his hands going over his heart while he batted his eyelashes at Bones.

“Don’t even try that on me and you are not. You knew you weren’t gonna get any sympathy coming down here. Now, you can stay for a bit and mess up my office, but I do have some things to organize.” Bones looked sideways at Jim, with a fond look of exasperation.

“Boss cracking the whip, eh?” Jim asked, waggling his eyebrows.

“Yeah, regular task master that he is,” Bones agreed with a smile, as he pushed away from the desk so he could walk out of his office.

Before he could reach the door, his comm unit beeped and the melodious voice of Lt. Nyota Uhura spoke.

“Dr. McCoy, please send the Captain back to the Bridge.”

“It’s scary how she knows exactly where I am all the time,” Jim pointed out as he straightened up and got ready to leave.

“Jim, all she has to do is check the computer. It’s not like we can’t check where everyone is on this ship at all times.” Bones decided to state the obvious at him.

Jim just waved his hand in the air. “Anyway, why didn’t she ask for me direct then? Why ask for you to ‘return me’?”

Bones pushed the comm button to connect him to the Bridge. “He is on his way, Lieutenant.” He turned back to Jim after shutting off the comm. “Because she likes me better, now scram.”

“Fine, fine,” Jim agreed but not before he poked his tongue out at Bones.

Bones just laughed at the space where Jim had been, the man having made made his escape after the childish display as soon as he could.

oOo

“Coming up on the vessel, sir,” Chekov announced.

Jim glanced back over toward Spock and away from the view screen. “Nice and gently, Mr. Sulu, we don’t want to spook them too much. Readings, Mr. Spock?”

“It is definitely a space vessel of some type,” Spock replied, his focus entirely on the scanner though his voice betrayed, with a slight hint, his annoyance at not having more information.

“Origin? Romulan?” Jim asked.

“Unknown origin, Captain. Unlikely to be a Terran vessel, due to the information from the recorded flights.”

“Captain,” Uhura interrupted, causing Jim to swivel his chair so he could better see her.

She had one finger delicately poised on her ear piece, while her other hand was manipulating her controls. Jim had marvelled at how composed she managed to appear in the midst of some of the most chaotic battles they had partook, and right now her natural innate grace was on display.

“I am picking up a signal, sir.” Uhura sent the signal to the speakers on the Bridge so Jim and the Bridge crew could hear what she was hearing.

“CQ CQ. It’s a 20th Century Earth International Morse code call signal, Captain,” Uhura said in a shocked tone. She had glanced a look toward Spock as she spoke.

“Thank you, Lieutenant. ‘Calling Any Station’, hm. I thought you said it couldn’t be an Earth vessel?” Jim grinned as he let his chair rotate so he faced forward again.

“I fail to understand why it always gives you pleasure to see me proven wrong,” Spock stated.

“An emotional Earth weakness of mine, Mr. Spock,” Jim said in an offhand manner, as their first view of the vessel was brought up on the viewscreen. The shape was nagging at him. He racked his brain to come up with the type, as he was sure he knew what it was. “Ah! Looks to be similar to a DY-500 class, and they were decommissioned back in the 22nd Century.”

“Incorrect, Captain. It is a DY-100 class. The last such vessel was built in the 1990s,” Spock corrected him. Jim detected a little hint of smugness at Spock being able to prove Jim wrong.

As much as Spock hated to admit it, he did show human traits, which amused Jim when he could catch him doing so. Jim pondered the view in front of him, their long range scanner feeding back only basic information about the vessel.

“It’s a derelict, its signal left on automatic?” he asked, almost rhetorically. One thing he valued about his crew was he could trust them to weigh in with their own opinions, even if they were contradictory to his.

“Or an old Earth ship being used by another species,” Spock offered.

Jim nodded as he considered the possibility. It could be a trap, to lure other vessels close enough and with a false sense of security. “Weapons status?” he asked.

Sulu replied promptly, “Deflector shields on maximum. Phasers manned, sir.”

Jim nodded, knowing Sulu could see his reflection in the viewscreen.

“Bioscanners report,” Jim said next, his mind already parsing a number of possible scenarios.

“Life science bioscanners are picking up heart beats from over there. Can't be human, though. They're too faint, and average only four beats per minute,” Bones’ voice came through the communication system as Uhura had patched in the relevant areas from the start of their discussion it seemed.

Jim started to think about which species were known to have such a low heart rate, and a single heart.

“Sensor reading, Captain. Some sort of equipment functioning on that vessel,” Spock said, interrupting Jim’s thoughts.

“All decks go to full alert,” Jim ordered, knowing it was always better to be safe than sorry. “Lt. Uhura, commence hailing. Continue scanning, I want as much information on this vessel as possible.”

oOo

“Anything interesting to report, Scotty?” Jim asked as he walked into Engineering. He knew no one could really sneak up on the area without Scotty knowing about it. Jim thought of the whole ship as his baby, but he knew Scotty and Bones considered their domains to be just that--theirs, not his.

“Until I get over there, I can only give you an educated guess. I’ve never seen anything that old and still working. The DY-100s had a very limited life span. They were not the most reliable of ships,” Scotty said as he turned away from the control panel.

“I think the fact there is one out there with life signs on board says otherwise,” Jim pointed out.

“True, and I do like a good mystery. All I can tell you, Captain, is that the ship is functioning on a low level of power, possibly nuclear, and that life systems appear currently to be stable.”

“Fair enough, I’ll go and bother Bones now and leave you to it.” Jim smiled at Scotty.

“You do that, laddie,” Scotty said. He turned back to his panel and started pushing buttons in a sequence which possibly only he, and maybe Chekov and Spock on a good day, could understand.

As Jim waited patiently in the turbolift, he thought he might drop in on Environmental Systems on the way to Sickbay. With obvious signs of life on the ship but no contact being made, they may have to beam over and check it out. This hour had been a long and tedious one, and although he was often accused of leaping first, he always did so with knowledge in his mind of what was coming. Plus Bones would have been expecting him, and it was fun to keep the man on his toes.

oOo

The turbolift door opened onto the Bridge and Jim stepped out of the lift with Bones right behind him. He walked over to his chair, knowing that Bones would take up his usual position just behind him to his left. As he sat, the other Bridge crew members turned to face him. Conversations, which had been quietly going on, ceased as he sat down.

Jim looked over his shoulder at Bones, knowing the man would understand without words that Jim wanted him to report. He didn’t get a chance to hear it when he arrived in Sickbay as he was immediately called back up to the Bridge.

“We're continuing to pick up some form of heart action over there. Very faint, very slow. Seems to be coming from about sixty or seventy bodies, as near as I can tell,” Bones said.

“Alien bodies, Bones?” Jim asked.

Bones shrugged, “Could be. There's no sign of breathing or other form of respiration.”

Jim faced forward again, a considering look on his face. He pushed the communication button on his arm rest, “Weapons department, maintain battle stations. All other decks standby alert.”

From behind him he heard Uhura almost immediately respond, “All decks acknowledging, sir.”

He knew that she would have her finger pressed to her ear piece as she listened to the concurrent messages coming in. He keyed in the sequence for the standby alert and noted the yellow light flashing on the helm console and the initial pre-warning sound start up. He acknowledged it and the sound switched off.

Jim was still focused on the view of the ship on the viewscreen; the ship had most definitely seen better days. Spock obviously noted his interest as he spoke up next.

“The hull surface is pitted with meteor scars. However, scanners make out a name. SS _Botany Bay_.”

“Then you can check the registry,” Jim noted.

“No such vessel listed.”

Jim smirked slightly at Spock’s quick response. Like many times, his First Officer already had the answer for Jim even before he could ask the question. He had heard grumblings before that Spock might be the first Vulcan boy scout, such was his desire to ‘always be prepared.’

“Records of that period are fragmentary, however,” Spock continued. “The mid-1990s was the era of your last so-called World War.”

“The Eugenics Wars,” Bones murmured.

Spock turned to address Bones and Jim glanced over to watch, wary as always when Bones and Spock faced off against each other.

“Of course. Your attempt to improve the race through selective breeding,” Spock said, and Jim was sure Bones would rise to the bait.

Bones didn’t disappoint him.

“Now, wait a minute. Not _our_ attempt, Mr. Spock. A group of ambitious scientists. I'm sure you know the type. Devoted to logic, completely unemotional-- ” Bones stepped closer to Jim as he ranted at Spock, his voice getting growlier and the southern accent getting stronger as he spoke.

Jim interrupted before it could turn into World War Four. “All right, all right, gentlemen. As you were.” Jim glanced up at Bones who, with pursed lips, nodded slightly and stepped back.

“Lieutenant, any response from the vessel?” Jim asked Uhura.

“Negative, Captain, and I have responded with Morse code as well as the standard Hailing messages. There has been no response,” Uhura reported.

“Rig for tractor beam, Helm. Lock onto that vessel.” They had gathered as much information about the vessel as they could, sitting here on the ship; it was time to find out more and Jim wanted to see for himself.

“Rigging for tractor beam, sir,” Sulu said as he followed Jim’s orders.

Jim stood up and started to walk off the Bridge. He paused by the top step and glanced back at Bones.

“The Bridge is yours, Mr. Spock. Care to join the landing party, Doctor?” Jim knew using the title would ensure that Bones knew he had stepped partially out of line, even if Spock had goaded him. He might love the man, but Bones sure did have a temper which could be easily pushed, so Jim made sure that his formality of speech was tempered with a little smile.

“Well, if you're actually giving me a choice--,” Bones started to say.

“I'm not,” Jim replied quickly before Bones could decline. He turned back in the direction of the Science station. “Oh, I'll need somebody familiar with the late 20th Century Earth. Here's a chance for the new historian to help out. That period was her speciality, if I recall correctly.”

“Indeed. I shall inform Lieutenant McGivers,” Spock informed him.

oOo

  



	2. Chapter 2

Marla had been looking idly around her quarters, deciding how best to occupy herself when she heard the announcement for the standby alert and the warning sirens.

She froze slightly as she attempted to remember the lessons from the Academy about what to do. Even though she had only been there a year ago, nothing was coming to her, everything in her mind went blank at the sound of the siren. In her short time on the Starbase, she had not taken part in any drills, although she had been given an orientation manual when she first arrived.

She did finally realize it was a standby alert, so she sat back down at the computer terminal to try and distract herself. That didn’t work for too long, so she paced her small quarters a few times, sat on her bed, and considered getting out her sketchbook so she could try and calm herself down, although when she looked at her hands, she realized it would just make matters worse. A short while of that and she still didn’t know exactly what to do and was sure there was a well-worn path in the flooring.

When the First Officer called for personnel to report to the transporter room, it took her a moment to realize that one of the names was her own. She was sure that when she answered her voice was noticeably shaky.

She quickly checked her computer and a short message came up about why she was required. It seemed they were investigating an unresponsive late 20th Century Earth vessel. She stared a moment at the screen, amazed at a vessel which was presumably that old being discovered just floating in space. She stumbled as she stood up and hurried over to collect her tricorder, ready to record everything about the ship. This was an amazing opportunity and one she thought she would never have access to, an actual ship in what appeared to be in original condition.

The other crew members were just vague shapes on the edges of her vision as she walked down the corridors of Deck Seventeen. She had only been on board a few months but she knew her way to the turbolift and waited patiently for it to arrive so she could take it to Deck Seven. She kept her eye on her tricorder in her hands the whole way until she was standing outside the doors to the transporter room.

As the door opened, she saw the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. McCoy, and the Captain himself standing by the transporter control panel. Behind the panel, she saw the Chief Engineer and a transporter officer whom she didn’t recognize. The men had ignored her entrance while they talked among themselves. She wasn’t sure what to make of being included on a landing party with such senior officers, let alone being on a landing party for the first time in her life.

There were four other crew-members she didn’t recognize holding xenobio-containment suits. One of them approached her and handed over a phaser. She looked at the other officers and they all had phasers. She had training with the weapon but was a little hesitant in accepting it.  
The suit was not offered to her, but considering what was being said by Lieutenant Commander Scott, it was obvious why this was the case.

“Well, it looks like that ship was expecting us. Heat’s coming on, complete oxygen atmosphere,” he said as he looked at the other two senior officers.

“Very interesting,” Captain Kirk replied as he looked at his CMO, who, as she remembered from the news reports when it first broke, was also his partner. Everyone at the Academy could talk of nothing else and she had retreated back into her history studies, not interested in gossiping with the others. She had been only in her first year at the Academy then and it had been a confusing time for her.

The Captain slapped Dr. McCoy on the shoulder and walked over to the transporter pad, his hand moving to check that his phaser was secure at his side. “You ready, Bones?”

“No. I signed aboard this ship to practice medicine, not to have my atoms scattered back and forth across space by this gadget,” Dr. McCoy complained as he reluctantly followed the Captain and stood on a pad to the Captain’s right.

“You're an old-fashioned boy, Bones.” The Captain smiled at him, while Marla heard Lieutenant Commander Scott failing to hide a laugh, as he too walked over to the pad.

“We haven’t lost you yet, doctor,” Lieutenant Commander Scott pointed out as Marla hurried up to join them on the pad, taking position on the Captain’s left.

“McGivers, sir. Reporting for duty,” she said quietly. She took her position on the transporter pad as the doctor responded to Lieutenant Commander Scott’s comment.

“There’s always a first time and then it will be my last time,” Dr. McCoy grumbled.

“At ease, Lieutenant. Energize.” Captain Kirk smiled at her. Moments later there was the white swirl of light, the unique sound of the transporter winding up and then they were no longer on the _Enterprise_.

oOo

As the view came into focus, Jim quickly looked around, checking for any signs of danger. They were in the middle of a T-junction and from what he could see, the ship was a warren of corridors. All along the corridors were compartments with a clear window, and in each of them lay a person, presumably a human. A pale violet light, of the type which certain plants required, was shining on the faces of the people. They were dressed in a gold mesh all-in-one and they appeared to be fast asleep.

The walls were a dullish grey and so was the flooring. It wasn’t like the _Enterprise_. The vessel was clean though, no debris littering the corridors and there wasn’t a cobweb to be seen anywhere. It was almost a little _too_ clean and spartan and Jim was not going to let his guard down. He could hear Bones’ tricorder beeping as he took recordings.

“The air, Bones?” he asked.

“All clean and exceptionally so. The purification system must still be working well.” Bones sounded a little surprised, but Jim was used to Bones being continually surprised while on missions. The man did try to hide behind a cynic’s statement on most occasions, while Jim knew deep down what he was really like. He was someone who cared deeply for people, but tried to hide it.

“Scotty?” Jim asked next as he turned to see where Scotty was. The man hadn’t let him down-- he had found a control panel and was thoroughly inspecting it.

“Definitely Earth-type mechanism, sir,” Scotty reported. “Twentieth century vessel. Old type atomic power as suspected. Bulky, solid. I think they used to call them transistor units. I'd love to tear this baby apart. How this ship survived is a miracle.”

Scotty was true to himself and at another time, Jim might have chuckled at Scotty’s words, but past experience had him feeling a little uneasy and on his toes.

“Captain, it appears to be a sleeper ship,” Lt. McGivers whispered, a reverent tone to her voice. She was reaching one hand out toward the glass and the sleeping woman behind it.

Jim stepped over to stand with her, noting that her hand was still hovering over the glass, as if she was afraid to touch it, and that if she did, then it would then prove to be nothing but a mirage. “Suspended animation,” he said aloud, remembering _Cochram’s History of Space Travel_.

“Yes, I've seen old photographs of this. Deemed necessary because of the time involved in space travel until about the year 2018. It took years just to travel from one planet to another.” She was passionate in the recitation of her knowledge of the past.

Jim nodded as she explained the reasoning behind it but it also made him realize he was happy in this time and with their ability to travel at the speeds they now could. If he was born back in the 20th Century, he would have likely gone mad from impatience to explore the universe and having to put oneself into suspended animation. What sights and new discoveries did they miss being in the state they were in?

“Is it possible they're still alive after centuries of travel?” he asked as he looked around.

From where he stood, he could see twelve bodies in compartments and with the size of the ship it was likely that there would be a large number, possibly up to a hundred people and all from the past. This confirmed Bones’ earlier prediction of about sixty or seventy bodies. It was no wonder Lt. McGivers had a look of wonder and reverence on her face, which was similar to how Bones looked whenever he found a new cure which no one else had even thought of before.

“It's theoretically possible,” Bones said as he joined the two of them in looking at the woman. “I've never heard of it being tested for this long a period</span>, though.”

Jim noted that Bones was looking a little harder at the woman, probably checking to see if she was dead, alive, or in stasis, although Jim noted that from his naked eye he couldn’t tell the difference between the first and the last. She was a fairly attractive blonde, who had a bit of the look of Jocelyn about her. Jim watched Bones carefully but he was only looking back down at his tricorder again.

“What a handsome group of people,” Lt. McGivers stated as she turned to look at the other compartments, a wide smile on her face. Jim tried to remember the right analogy for the moment and then it came to him. Like a kid in a candy shop she was.

“Jim, I have a new reading. The lights must have triggered some mechanism,” Bones said.

Jim stepped over to look down at Bones’ tricorder for himself, while his hand drifted to rest just above his phaser. He looked back over his shoulder and Scotty was following the pattern of lights on the panel, trying to make sense of such dated technology.

“Captain, look here,” Lt. McGivers called. She had walked over to another area and as Jim joined her, he could see there were more lights on in that compartment. It was illuminating a dark-haired man with a middle-eastern or asian ancestry. He was as handsome as the others, which they could see lying in the compartments like a parody of the sleeping beauty stories.

“Scotty?” Jim asked.

“Beats me what's happening,” Scotty said as he walked over. “I think we need Lt. Uhura to come over and see if she can talk ‘Past Engineering Standard.’”

Jim smothered a laugh. In the height of a perilous moment, he could trust in his Chief Engineer to make a comment which would raise at least a smile.

“We've triggered something, all right,” Bones reported. “His heartbeat's increasing. Now passing eight beats per minute. There are some signs of respiration beginning.”

Jim looked intently at the man. Sure enough, his chest was slowly moving up and down very slowly.

“This one was probably programmed to be triggered first,” Scotty pointed out.

“Yes, sir. Feester hypothesized that the leader was often set to revive first,” Lt. McGivers said. “This would allow them to decide whether the conditions warranted revival of the others.”

“Heartbeat now approaching forty per minute. The respiration pattern is firming up,” Bones reported.

“Makes sense,” Jim offered, studiously avoiding the use of the word ‘logical’.

“Heart beat now fifty two and increasing,” Bones added.

With the process of bringing the man out of stasis being so slow, it was probably a good thing, Jim thought. Too fast and the body may not have coped with it so well as it had been suspended for 200 years.

“The others?” Jim asked as he looked around, but only the one compartment they were standing in front of was fully lit. The rest still had the single purple light illuminating each face.

“There's no change,” Scotty said as he turned and walked over to the other compartments.

“A man from the twentieth century coming alive.” Jim heard Lt. McGivers whisper in reverence.

“Maybe,” Bones contradicted. “His heartbeat is dropping.”

“Circuit shorting?” Jim guessed, bending over to get a better look into the compartment. There was no clue as to how the man was being triggered. The walls were smooth and looked like a simple box. Jim didn’t want to think they were almost coffin-like, but it was the closest description. There was a tiny gap around the front panel where it presumably would open but there was nothing obvious which would make it open.

“Probably some dust causing a small break in the circuit,” Scotty offered as an explanation.

“Heartbeat now thirty, dropping fast. It's a heart flutter. He's dying,” Bones announced, not once looking up from his tricorder, his voice at the end betraying his feelings. Bones hated to lose a patient.

“Captain, please do something,” Lt. McGivers requested.

Jim looked at Bones and Scotty before he glanced back at the compartment. There was nothing he could see which could possibly be a release mechanism. “Can we?”

“It'd take an hour to figure it out,” Scotty said as he knelt down to get a closer look at the compartment as well.

“What happens if we get him out of there?” Jim asked.

“Jim, he'll die in seconds if we don't,” Bones said as he knelt down by the compartment, running a hand over the joint.

Jim looked around for anything he could use to break the glass, then he remembered what he saw by the control panel which Scotty had been looking at earlier. He rushed over and pulled out the metal bar. As he headed back to the compartment, Scotty and Bones stood up and away from it, knowing what he was planning. Lt. McGivers was still standing in the same spot though, far enough that Jim didn’t need to warn her to move away. He stepped up to the glass by the man’s feet, figuring that shattering the glass in the precise area would hopefully minimize any injury to the man. He checked to make sure none of the others were in the way of his swing. He wasn’t sure if it would work, but there wasn’t much time for another option.

He swung and, blessedly, he felt the glass crack a bit on the first swing. It took another two swings to get the glass to shatter. He scraped the metal bar around the opening to create a wider space for him to reach into the compartment. Scotty was waiting next to him as he stepped forward. He handed over the metal bar to Scotty and felt carefully around the door, seeking a trigger to open it, otherwise they would have to try and just pull it open and he wasn’t sure they had time for it. His fingers found a small depression and he pushed at it, hoping it was the trigger. It was, and he had to pull his arm out quickly as the door opened, the top lowering down and then the bed that the man was resting on slid out automatically.

Bones was already at the side, tricorder beeping madly as he monitored. Jim kept one hand on his phaser while he grabbed his communicator with the other and flipped it open. He could feel himself tense as the man gasped and opened his eyes. Bones leaned closer, a grim look on his face, but the readings weren’t obviously too life threatening at the moment. Jim felt the tense presences of Scotty and Lt. McGivers standing next to him.

“How long?” the man managed to gasp out as he looked at Jim. He spoke standard and his voice had an accent to it, but Jim couldn’t pinpoint exactly what sort.

“How long have you been sleeping? Two centuries we estimate.” Jim ignored the look from Bones about revealing the information. If he had been put in stasis and he was woken up with strange people standing over him, he would at least want to know the basics for his own peace of mind. “Boarding party to _Enterprise_.  Come in,” Jim said as he hailed the _Enterprise_.

“Go ahead, boarding party. We read you,” Uhura replied.

“Lock in on McCoy's beam and the person next to him,” Jim ordered. “He's transporting back with a casualty we discovered here.”

“Yes, sir,” Uhura acknowledged. “Medical has been notified. Uhura, out.”

As Bones leaned forward to help the man sit up, the white light of transport started to surround them both. The last view Jim had in that moment was of Bones looking back at him, with surprise and frustration fighting to become the dominant look.

oOo

  



	3. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 3

Bones wanted to thump the patient monitor next to the bed. The readouts it was giving him about the patient just weren’t making sense. Blessedly, the man had lapsed back into unconsciousness once they fought to get him onto a gurney. The panic in his eyes when they transported onto the _Enterprise_ was totally justified. If he truly was a man from the past, the world now must seem so strange.

He had chosen to wait until the initial blood work came back before he administered a sedative. He wanted to control the patient as much as possible. Most especially, he wanted to control when to bring the patient back to consciousness.

“Chapel,” he said loudly, although Jim liked to call it yelling. His chief nurse appeared quickly at his call. It was one of the many things he liked about her.

“Yes, doctor,” she asked as she came to stand near him, a PADD in her hands, at the ready to take any notes she needed to.

“I need detailed functionality reports sent to my office. Set them for every thirty minutes. I want any changes that happen to send an alert to my office for this patient. If he wakes up, no one is to speak to him. They are to get me immediately. Also, I sent some further blood work off to the lab; see to it that they process it asap as we need to know any and all immunization issues. I will keep him in the isolation until we know otherwise.”

Bones pursed his lips as he looked again at the monitor through the clear isolation sheet encasing the bed and the patient within.

“Who are you?” he asked quietly as he heard Chapel leave the room. When he got no immediate answer, he turned on his heel and left the room. He hadn’t realistically expected one, but stranger things had happened in his life up to this point. He walked across the main Sickbay floor and entered his office with every intention of researching 20th Century medicine in depth.

He had a mystery to solve.

oOo

Marla was frozen on the spot; a real person from the past. She had been close enough to touch him and he had spoken, but then he was gone. The doctor’s face had registered concern, or maybe it was shock and Marla was afraid that this tenuous link to the past might die before she would have a chance to speak to him. So many questions were swirling in her mind, not the least of which was why were he and these people on the ship and where had they been going?

“--pull Dr. M’Benga off the next shift, okay it with Bones if you can, but he might have his hands full and if he complains, tell him to take it up with me later.” Marla finally registered that Captain Kirk was speaking into his communicator again.

“We are going to need a compliment of medical staff and bioscanners brought over here. Let M’Benga advise. I’ll get Scotty to report the total number of people on board. Scotty will also need some engineering staff to look over the ship and he can let you know who he and Lt. McGivers will need. Kirk out.”

“Affirmative, Captain.” Marla heard Mr. Spock’s reply before Captain Kirk closed his communicator.

“You hear that, Scotty?” Captain Kirk asked. Marla turned to see where the captain was looking. Lieutenant Commander Scott had his head inside the compartment where the man had been.

“Aye, Captain,” Scotty responded, his voice muffled as he lifted one hand to wave airily at the captain. Marla could only stand in shock at how unconventional the man appeared to be.

The captain didn’t seem to mind as he just laughed and then opened up his communicator again.

“Lieutenant McGivers, I look forward to your report later. Please liaise with the medical and engineering teams on what knowledge you have,” he said before speaking into the communicator. “ _Enterprise_ , this is Kirk.”

“This is the _Enterprise_ , Captain.”

“One to beam over.”

In a short moment, the captain was gone from the _Botany Bay_ as well, leaving Marla with just the Chief Engineer, who appeared engrossed in inspecting the compartment.

Marla took a tentative step forward and she felt and heard the glass crunching under her foot. She looked down at the floor, the broken glass scattered across it, in contrast to how neat the rest of the ship looked. The compartment above the man was still bathed in the low ultra-violet light. The two compartments on the opposite side looked the same. Same size, same light and the people positioned inside in the same manner and wearing the same strange clothing. No one else had been activated, just that one man. She heard some low mumbling from the Lieutenant Commander, which may have been swearing in a language she didn’t understand.

“Um,” she hesitated to speak, unsure of exactly where to start here. The captain expected a report from her, but there was just so much to see and try and understand.

“Lieutenant Commander?” she asked, annoyed at herself for how querulous her voice sounded.

“Ow!” Lieutenant Commander Scott said as he managed to bump his head on the top of the compartment before standing up straight to look at her. “Yes, lassie?”

Marla blinked as she realized what he had called her. She had never been called that before in her life. “I’ll just start looking around, if it’s okay? If you need me, you can call me on the communicator?” she asked, unsure exactly of the protocols here.

“That’ll be fine. I’m sure we will need your knowledge so if you get a lay of the land, so to speak, it would help out a lot.” On that note, he turned with a smile and stuck his head back into the compartment. It would not have surprised Marla one little bit if next he climbed right into it, but she had permission and so she was going to explore and record as much information as she could.

She walked back to the spot where they had first beamed over. She set her tricorder to record the layout of the ship from that point and added notes on the number of compartments, the location of the control panel, and where Captain Kirk had retrieved the metal bar from. The bar was now lying discarded on the floor, amongst the broken glass. Next, she recorded the first words spoken by the man, and how they had to break him out. She added her hypothesis that he was from the 20th Century and that he was possibly from the Asian continent, maybe India or another country in the same region. With a deep breath, she looked to the left and then to the right, deciding on which way to start exploring. Setting a tracking plan on the tricorder, she decided on the right to begin exploring from where the control panel was seemed like an obvious choice.

oOo

Jim pushed the PADD away, ignoring the clatter as it bumped into other PADDs. The wait was interminable-- they needed to get as much as possible information. He understood it but he still hated it. He looked at his chrono and realised it was time for his on-shift meal.

As was his custom, he pushed the communication button on his desk and asked for Bones to respond.

“Nurse Chapel here, Captain,” she answered his call.

“Hi Christine, just checking to see if Bones is available for lunch. Was going to head down to the mess now.”

“Sorry Captain, he is monitoring our patient and said he wouldn’t be leaving the Sickbay. I did call for some lunch to be delivered here,” she explained.

Jim smiled at her competence. If anyone knew how to keep the Sickbay running smoothly, it was her, not Bones, as much as he liked to think otherwise.

“Fine. I’ll catch him later. How’s the patient doing?”

“Stable Captain, but beyond that it would be best if you talk to Dr. McCoy.”

“Understood. Kirk, out.” Jim knew when he was being dismissed.

Lunch by himself it seemed, no grumbles to make the time pass quickly. He pressed the comm button again.

“Kirk to Spock.”

“Spock here, Captain.”

“I’m taking my lunch break now. You have the conn for a bit longer.”

“Affirmative Captain. Ensign Chekov is also going on break now. His relief has arrived.”

“I’ll see you in thirty minutes. Kirk out.”

Jim sighed as he stood up and left his ready room. Chekov might be able to provide a distraction, he considered. He rocked back and forth on his heels as he waited for the turbolift. The door to the Bridge opened before the turbolift arrived and Chekov joined him in the space.

“Captain,” Chekov said with a little moment of hesitation. Chekov had grown in confidence over the past years but he was a young man, and still considerably younger than the majority of the crew.

Jim smiled at him, trying to put him at ease.

They travelled down to Deck Three in relative, but comfortable silence. The officer’s mess hall was starting to get busy and there was a buzz of conversation as people caught up with friends. Jim selected his meal and turned to look for a space to sit. He saw a free table in the far corner and he turned back to Chekov.

“Join me, Ensign?” he asked.

“Certainly, sir,” Chekov smiled at him.

They walked over to the table and Jim was sure that one or two others had seen it empty as well, but when they saw him walking in the direction of the table, they changed direction and looked for another space to sit.

Jim shook his head as he sat down, amused with himself at feeling relieved that others would defer to him about an empty table.

“I expect you and Sulu are bored when we get stuck in a holding position, like now?” Jim asked after he had finished chewing his first mouthful.

Chekov looked up at him in surprise before answering, “It is getting easier. Never know when you will need us, Captain. The ship is old and has nuclear power. It might not be stable, so Hikaru and I have already set some possible emergency paths.”

Jim smiled at the plans put in place. “One step ahead of your captain?” he asked with a sly smile on his face.

“Oh no, Captain, I did not mean offense.” Chekov looked very apologetic as he spoke quickly.

Jim waved his hand in the air to signify there was no offense. “It’s all good, Chekov. I approve of your plans, will have a look at them when we get back. Better than if you sat there the whole time playing solitaire instead. I hate these moments as well, having to wait, but it’s needed to have all the info before we can make a call.”

“It’s strange, that a vessel has lasted so long and undetected. There really were people on there from the 20th Century?” Chekov asked, elbows resting on the table and face expressing how intriguing he found the idea.

“They might be. As Bones would say, it’s a ‘god damn miracle.’” Jim chuckled as he imagined Bones saying it with the hint of disapproval which was second nature to him.

Chekov ducked his head as he tried to hide his smile at Jim’s attempt at mimicking.

“Are you laughing at your captain, ensign?” he asked, raising one eyebrow in the best imitation of Spock he could muster.

“Never, captain,” Chekov stated, but there was a smile on his face and his eyes were definitely twinkling in merriment.

Jim then made Chekov’s day, by asking after after the latest experiments he and Spock were conjuring up amongst both their brains. The rest of the meal went smoothly and quickly before they had to return back to the Bridge and allow the next set of officers to take their meal break.

oOo

Marla looked around the Bridge in amazement. It was such a small space in comparison to the sheer size of the Bridge on the _Enterprise_ , which she had only seen once--all white, shiny and gleaming. This was the same grey color scheme which permeated the rest of the ship. With the lights on low, it was dark and almost oppressing, but allowed a clear view out the front windows of space and the _Enterprise_ off to the side, dwarfing the _Botany Bay_.

She held up her tricorder once she had stepped to the center of the room and set it on record, hoping the camera would adjust for the shaking of her hand. Earlier, she had stopped to view some of the images she had recorded and realized she had been moving too quickly in her excitement, so she made sure to slow down as she turned to do a full 360 degree panorama. Then she recorded the console with the two chairs at the front of the Bridge. Turning off the camera, she let the tricorder drop back down to hang on it’s strap before reaching a hand out to touch one of the chairs. She didn’t dare touch the console, as much as she wanted to. The chairs were cold to the touch, the vinyl a little sticky against her hand. Who had sat in them? Had it been the man they had inadvertently awoken? There wasn’t a crease or rip in them, no well-worn patches, which made her think the ship was very new when it had originally taken off from Earth.

With a deep sigh, she grabbed the communicator off her belt and hailed the Lieutenant Commander.

“Yes, Lieutenant, Scott here,” she heard him reply to her hail.

“I have found the bridge of the vessel, Lieutenant Commander. I can send you a directional plan as I have tracked my movements on board.”

“Excellent news lassie, and you don’t have to keep calling me Lieutenant Commander, ‘Mr. Scott’ will do fine.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Now sit tight and send me those directions.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Scott. McGivers out.”

Marla pulled up the tricorder again once she had put her communicator back on her belt. She quickly sent the ship’s layout to Mr. Scott and stood once again in a quandary, unsure where to start. She had her lectures running through her head, trying to remember the advice and the ‘rules’ they were given about observing the past. Finally her mind settled on a memory and she walked over to the doorway and started recording in close detail the controls on the wall. She was almost finished with recording the front panel, when she heard voices coming closer.

She stood and waited for the others to arrive at the Bridge. Mr. Scott was joined by two other engineers whom she didn’t recognize and Dr. M’Benga, who was second in command to Dr. McCoy. The small Bridge was made even smaller when they were all standing in it. She felt she was right to think it was really only designed for two people and not five, as it was currently housing.

“Excellent work, Lieutenant,” Mr. Scott said to her. “Start looking for logs or anything else which can helps us,” he ordered his two engineers as he waved towards the front console.

“Thank you, sir,” Marla replied.

“Do you have numbers on how many people are in stasis to go with the plan?”

Marla lifted up her tricorder to check the details. “There are 85 units, but there were a number where the light was turned off.”

“Do you have a plan of those?” he asked her.

“Yes, sir, I noted them. I can send it to you as well?”

“Send to me and to Geoff,” Mr. Scott said as he motioned toward Dr. M’Benga with a slight nod of his head.

As she picked up her tricorder to send the information, Mr. Scott continued to speak to the doctor.

“Any thoughts about waking these people up?”

“We’ll wait and see what happens with the other patient. Until we have a decent idea on the ramifications, I am sure Leonard would prefer to err on the side of caution,” Dr. M’Benga said.

“Fair enough and we have no idea if there will be issues like before. If there is dust in the system, it can cause no end of problems. My Great-Nan was fond of proclaiming, ‘cleanliness is next to godliness.’”

Dr. M’Benga laughed. Mr. Scott’s communicator beeped, so he picked it up and flipped it open.

“Mr. Scott! Mr. Scott! Incursion alert!”

“Jurgen, where?” Mr. Scott said, his face now registering a serious look.

“We were in the side corridor looking at the other control panel when there was some beeping and when we backed away from it, a door opened at the bottom and a small bot came out.”

Mr. Scott had been walking toward the door, but at the response he heard on the communicator, he stopped. The two other engineers had also stopped their observations and were standing alert, hands resting on the side of their thighs where a phaser would normally be.

“How small a bot? What’s it doing now?” Mr. Scott asked.

“Pretty small, definitely looks like a prototype of the Nautilus-Mark 2. Hang on, sir, Hui is having a look.”

Marla stood, a little unsure what to do herself, waiting for Jurgen to respond to Mr. Scott’s questions. The wait felt interminable, but in reality it was only a few moments before Jurgen responded.

“Um, sir. I don’t quite know how to say this.”

“Words could be useful, Ensign. Preferably in standard,” Mr. Scott replied.

“Sorry, sir, but it’s, um, cleaning.”

Marla glanced around the Bridge and every other crew member in there and they all had an expression of shock on their faces.

“Cleaning?”

“Yes, sir, cleaning.”

“Well then, don’t get in its way and let it do its job. Scott out.”

Mr. Scott snapped his communicator shut, chuckling quietly. “That explains why the place still looks to be mostly dust free. Geoff, you gonna take your staff and have a look at those compartments McGivers sent you?”

“Definitely. I’ll leave you to play with the cleaning bot,” Dr. M’Benga said as he smiled, slapped Mr. Scott on the shoulder, and left the Bridge.

“McGivers, care to come inspect the bot?” Mr. Scott asked her.

“Thank you sir, but domestic implements were not my strong suit. I did note a hatch that may lead to the lower deck of the ship and I thought that area could need mapping,” she replied.

“The engines, eh? Well, domestic implements aren’t mine either, no matter the century, but come check out the bot with me and then I’ll have a look at the hatch you mentioned.”

“Yes, sir,” Marla replied.

oOo

“There are no logs that we can find on the ship. The Bridge has been searched and I have a few crew looking in the Engine room, but it’s unlikely they’d find anything there,” Scotty reported.

Jim sat further back in his chair to ponder the conundrum of the mysterious vessel, chin on his hand as he rested his elbow on the arm rest. He could clearly picture Scotty shrugging as he spoke.

“Engine room?” Jim asked.

“Aye, nuclear power as suspected and some real treasures down there. Including one of the first Impulse engines I reckon. I hypothesize that the main engine power switched off in order to maintain life support. This is why they have been floating here.”

“Hypothesizing, Scotty?” Jim asked with a smile on his face. That was a new thought process for Scotty.

“Well, the lovely Lieutenant says I can only provide hypotheses at the moment until we get more facts to analyze the information properly. Apparently we aren’t allowed to make any moral judgements either,” Scotty replied.

“Maybe I should have sent Spock over instead of you,” Jim responded dryly. “What about the people on board?”

“My best _hypothesis_ is that they were in suspended animation when the ship took off.”

“Are they all alive?”

“Twelve units have malfunctioned, leaving seventy-two still operating. Geoff reported that he will have the medical staff continue to monitor them, just in case the ship decides to wake them up like it did for the first one. It’s been a while since that happened though. If the ship was going to do anything else I would have thought it would have done so by now,” Scotty reported.

“Thanks, Scotty. Let me know if you get anything new. I’ll leave you to check out that Engine bay.”

“Aye, aye, Captain.”

“Kirk out.” Jim disconnected the communication and twisted the chair so that he could face the Science station. “Seventy-two alive. A group of people dating back to the 1990s. A discovery of some importance, Mr. Spock, particularly as there are a great many unanswered questions about those years.”

“A strange period in your history. I find no record whatsoever of an SS _Botany Bay_. The DY-100 class vessel was designed for interplanetary travel only. With simple nuclear-powered engines, star travel was considered impractical at the time.”

“Scotty did say this one had impulse engines on board,” Jim pointed out.

“There are no records of that type of vessel having that particular engine configuration. I conclude that Mr. Scott might have been mistaken. Even with them, I calculate it would have been ten thousand to one against their making it to another star system. And why is there no record of the trip among your history?” Spock asked as he walked slowly toward Jim, hands clasped behind his back.

“If I remember my history, Botany Bay was the original landing point for the penal colony on the shores of Australia, wasn’t it? Begs the question as to why that was selected as the name of the vessel,” Jim mused.

“If you are hypothesizing that this was a penal deportation vessel, you’ve arrived at a totally illogical conclusion,” Spock stated.

“Enlighten me,” Jim offered.

“Your Earth was on the verge of a dark ages. Whole populations were being bombed out of existence. A group of criminals could have been dealt with far more efficiently than wasting one of their most advanced spaceships.”

Jim scoffed at Spock just getting a little dig in about the human race. The man could never quite resist. He was possibly right, but there was no way Jim was going to let him know that.

“Yes, so much for my hypothesis. I’m still waiting to hear yours,” Jim teased.

“Even a hypothesis requires some facts, Captain. So far I have none,” Spock replied calmly. “Insufficient facts always invite danger.”

“Fair enough. We should give the landing party more time to get some then. Rig for towing, Mr. Sulu.” Jim let his chair rotate slowly back into the forward aft position.

“Aye, aye, sir,” Sulu replied, his fingers already moving across the helm.

“Make a course for Starbase Twelve,” Jim ordered.

“Aye, sir,” Chekov said.

Jim sat back and watched the pair of them moving as a smooth team, putting one of their earlier plans into action.

oOo

  



	4. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 4

Jim walked into Sickbay, watching as the crew bustled around in their own little patterns. Always moving out of each other’s way, it was like a complicated ballet. Jim did like to come down to Sickbay for precisely that reason. It was a pattern that he liked to watch, note the movements and then in his own mind, predict where someone would move next.

Now wasn’t a time for him to stand around and watch, though. Chapel caught his eye from where she was standing in the far corner and she nodded off to the side room, where the patient was being housed. Jim nodded his thanks and headed in the direction she had indicated.

When he walked in the room, Bones was standing with his back to Jim. He didn’t turn around, even though he would have heard the door open. One arm was held behind him, hand closed in a loose fist, and his other arm was around the front. Jim knew exactly where it was. Bent up so that he could rest his chin on his thumb and his forefinger would be worrying at his bottom lip. It was a classic Bones ‘thinking’ pose.

“Bones?” Jim asked quietly as he walked forward.

Bones dropped his arm and turned slightly to face Jim.

“He’ll live,” Bones replied before glancing back through the isolation sheeting at the man asleep on the biobed.

“My compliments,” Jim offered with a smile. There was something in Bones’ tone that had Jim a little worried.

Bones huffed out his disdain at Jim’s compliment before speaking. “I’m good, but not that good. There’s something inside this man that refuses to accept death. Look at that,” he said as he pointed at the monitor at the head of the biobed. “Even as he is now, his heart valve action has twice the power of ours. Lung efficiency is fifty percent better. He weighs a ton too.”

“You weighed him?” Jim asked.

“No, Jim. I had to try and catch the man when you ordered us beamed back while he was lying on the bed. He arrived on the _Enterprise_ in mid-air.” Bones glared at him.

“He needed medical attention,” Jim explained, knowing that this was going to be something which he was not going to hear the end of for a while.

“He needed more after he had to rely on me catching him!”

“He was in the right place then,” Jim smirked at him and ignored Bones rolling his eyes in response. “He doesn’t seem to be much the worse for wear.”

“The bruising was minimal and it has receded quicker than I have ever seen before,” Bones said.

“He is an Augment then?” Jim asked. The medical information strongly suggested that this was what Bones was implying. “The timeline would be right with the ship. An improved breed of humans.”

“We all know how well that ended,” Bones replied sardonically. “But I have to say, the chance to study one, I wouldn’t be a scientist if I wasn’t willing to jump at it.”

“Oh I thought you were a doctor?” Jim teased, a little smile on his face as he glanced sideways at Bones to see if he would take the bait.

“You!” Bones growled and Jim smiled even wider. “Dammit, Jim,” he muttered under his breath.

“Rumors were they were at least three times as strong,” Jim observed as he looked back at the man.

“Not what we need running loose around the ship,” Bones observed.

“He doesn’t look like he will be running any time soon,” Jim pointed out.

“When he wakes up, I will give him a thorough physical, then we will know for sure. Brain function was apparently also doubled.”

“They still lost though, in the end,” Jim said.

“Excuse me, Captain, Dr. McCoy?” Jim heard in a voice he thought belonged to Lt. McGivers.

When he turned around his assumption was proven correct. She was standing by the door, slightly hesitant and one hand still on the door sill. Her face showed her concern as she looked at the man behind the isolation sheet.

“Will he live?” she asked.

“It appears he will, Lieutenant,” Bones told her.

“The screen?” she asked as she stepped forward into the room, the door sliding closed behind her.

She was still looking a little fearful and Jim realized that just like Scotty, who was still playing around in the Engine bay of the other ship, and Bones who was trying to solve the medical conundrum, McGivers was another curious soul. Her curiosity was linked in with the mind and memories of the man on the biobed.

“A precaution for him and for us. Just waiting on the final results, but he should be out of isolation later today,” Bones said.

“Oh, okay,” McGivers said as a look of relief came over her face.

“Lieutenant,” Jim said, knowing his tone was along the more ‘captainly’ lines. “As much as we hate to see any life wasted, the safety of this ship and all on board her come first.”

“Yes, sir.” McGivers straightened up into parade rest position.

“Good. I am sure that Dr. McCoy will let you know when the man is awake and able to answer your questions.”

“Yes, sir, thank you, sir,” she said.

“I understand from Scotty that your information was invaluable to him and his team in mapping the vessel. Good work, Lieutenant,” Jim added, knowing that any slight reprimand often worked best when it was paired with a compliment.

“Thank you, sir,” McGivers replied.

“Dismissed, Lieutenant,” Jim ordered.

McGivers nodded at him and Bones and then turned to exit the room.

Jim stayed silent until the door closed again, leaving he and Bones the only two conscious people in the room.

“Pity you wasted your life on command, Jim. You’d have made a fair psychologist,” Bones said as he leaned back against the wall, head tilted slightly to the side.

“Fair?” Jim asked, a smile on his face.

“Don’t go fishing for compliments, you know where that ends up for you,” Bones said as he pointed a threatening finger in Jim’s direction.

It only made Jim laugh.

“G’wan, get outta my Sickbay. Go back and bother Spock some more.” Bones made shooing motions toward the door.

Jim continued to laugh at Bones’ less than professional dismissal. But he knocked off a jaunty salute before obeying the order.

oOo

“Sickbay to Lab, anything new to report?” Bones asked.

“No Doctor, all clear for possible immune issues as reported earlier, and those old strains you got us to test were all clear in his body. Some of those viruses were downright nasty, worse than anything we have discovered out here before. We can do some further DNA testing on the patient’s samples, if you’d like?” The lab technician’s voice came over the comm system.

“You know I can’t order that without consent and he’s in no position to do so at the moment,” Bones replied.

“True enough, Doctor. But as soon as he does, there are samples we have ready for testing.”

Before Bones could reply, there was an alert from the computer. He checked the screen and it seemed that their patient was awake.

“Thanks. McCoy out,” Bones said as he disconnected the comm. He stood up as he pulled up the info from the biobed. As he was leaning over his desk, reading the information, he heard the door to his office open.

“Doctor, our patient is awake,” Chapel said.

“I see that,” Bones replied. “He also seems to have gotten up from the bed.”

“Do you want me to accompany you?” Chapel asked.

Bones straightened up and turned so that he faced her. “No, probably best not to scare him too much the first time.” Bones held in a laugh at the expression on Chapel’s face at the implication that she would be the one to scare a patient more than him. He knew he wasn’t able to hide his smile though, as he walked over toward the doorway where Chapel was standing.

“Tell you what. If he doesn’t listen to me about getting back in that bed, I will let you take over and put the fear of God into him.” He patted her on the shoulder before he exited his office to walk across the main Sickbay. He tried to stop his smile getting wider as he heard the snort from Chapel at his words.

He was considering the implications of the information from the biobed as he entered the isolation room. He had ordered the patient put in that room for two main reasons. One was if this patient truly was a man from the past, there were medical consequences about past diseases and new ones that he wouldn’t have immunization from. The second was also because if he truly was from the past, how much information could they give him initially about the new world he found himself in? The mind was a delicate instrument and his neurological studies as well as his interest in psychology had taught him that there was still so much to learn. Being cautious was second nature to him.

He was a little wrapped up in his thoughts as he entered the room and it took him a moment to discover where the patient was standing. The man was standing very straight, chin raised and hands clasped behind his back. Bones thought it looked like he was standing to attention, so he may have had some military training, although the gown didn’t help the impression at all. There was a wary look on his face and he was standing in the far corner of the room, away from the door, which was a bit odd.

“Good to see you up and about. I’m Dr. Leonard McCoy, the Chief Medical Officer,” Bones said as he walked slowly toward the patient. He didn’t want to spook him.

“English. I thought I dreamed hearing it,” the patient said after a pause that had him watching Bones intently.

Bones nodded at the man and then indicated the bed. “If you would just come back and sit on the bed, I have some basic medical tests I need to run through with you.” Bones had continued walking forward, prepared to gently steer the patient back onto the bed.

The next thing Bones knew, he was having his throat choked and an old 20th Century scalpel was being held just under his jawline.

As he struggled to breathe around the fingers making a strong indentation in his neck, he quickly glanced around the room and the mystery of why he found the man in the far corner was revealed. Lying partly open was one of the storage boxes containing his collection of historical medical equipment. They had been moved into this spare room while a suitable secure place to display them was discussed. He knew that the scalpel wasn’t as sharp as it could be, but it was still sharp enough to do some serious damage.

“Well, either choke me or cut my throat. Make up your mind,” Bones managed to get out, the fingers not fully depressing his windpipe.

“Where am I?” the man asked. His face was set in grim lines and Bones knew that he meant business. There was no way he could see to get close to the bed or the wall so that he could press an alarm.

“You're in--,” Bones started to say before the man squeezed harder and forced Bones’ voice to take a lower tone. “You're in a Sickbay room, holding a knife at your doctor's throat.” Bones couldn’t help pointing out the folly of the maneuver. He might be in immediate physical danger but the patient would find some serious problems if he tried to get out of Sickbay.

“Answer my question,” the man ordered. His tone implied that he was used to people following his demands. It reminded Bones a little of Jim when he was really pushed.

“It would be most effective if you would cut the carotid artery, just under the left ear.” If he couldn’t reason with the man, then pointing out the quickest way to injure might get his attention. This man seemed to respond to power and violence.

Bones was right, he was released and the man took a step back.

“I like a brave man,” the man informed Bones.

Bones tried to scoff in response as he pressed a hand up to his throat to test how much damage was done. As Bones leaned over slightly, he saw the loose way the man was holding the scalpel so he quickly leaned forward to take it. He probably should have pressed the alarm for security first, but this man had been plonked two centuries ahead of his own time. It was enough to make anyone wary.

“I was simply trying to avoid an argument. You're aboard the United Spaceship _Enterprise_. Your vessel is in tow ,” Bones said, keeping the information as broad as he could. “Now would you kindly take a seat back on the bed?” Bones tried to hide the hint of annoyance from his voice, but he didn’t think he was completely successful.

There was a stand off for a moment between the two of them, the other man narrowing his eyes slightly as he obviously considered Bones’ request.

“I remember a voice. Did I hear it say I had been sleeping for two centuries?” the man asked as he walked over to the bed and sat back down on it.

Bones stepped back toward the wall, keeping an eye on the patient. “That is correct.”

“Where is your Captain? I have many questions,” the patient said, using his ‘command’ voice again.

Bones pressed the intercom, using the time and the patient’s lack of knowledge to send a code black warning to Chapel and Jim as he spoke.

“McCoy to Bridge,” he said into the intercom.

“Bridge,” Jim replied.

“I have a patient here with many questions, Captain.” Bones wanted to say as little as possible as he could.

“On my way. Kirk out,” Jim said.

“He will be here shortly,” Bones told the patient as he walked over to the box and placed the scalpel back from where it had been found. He made sure the lid was secure before walking back to the bed.

“Nurse,” Bones said as Chapel walked into the room. She had a tray with her and two hyposprays loaded on it. He knew exactly what was in both--a strong sedative. “If you could just lie back down, I have some scans I need to do,” he told the patient.

Entering the room behind Chapel was Brewster and Getraer, two of the more well-built orderlies. Bones nodded a slight approval toward Chapel for her quick thinking.

“If you could remove the boxes and put them in my office,” Bones ordered the two orderlies as he pointed at the boxes.

While they began to remove them, Bones turned back to the computer next to the bed and started a scan of the patient. When the patient tried to lift up his head to look at the screen, Chapel leaned slightly forward and used a hand to indicate that he needed to lie back down.

“Your body needs to be in contact with the bed for the scan to be accurate. That includes your head, sir,” Chapel informed him in her no-nonsense voice. She was standing on the other side of the bed and had placed the tray within her reach but out of the patient’s. Her cool head in a crisis was the main reason she was his Chief Nurse. The _Narada_ incident had taught him all he needed to know about her.

“There is no equipment I can see. How can I be sure you are not lying to me?” the patient accused as he looked at Bones.

“Technology has moved forward a little since you were last awake,” Bones replied as he looked briefly away from the screen. The results were all normal, almost better than normal, although there was some activity in the brain stem that could indicate a headache or similar for the patient.

“No pain anywhere? Aches or little twinges?” Bones asked.

“You did not answer me properly, doctor,” the patient replied, again after a short pause, as in Bones’ first exchange with him.

Bones was not able to reply as the door opened and Jim walked into the room. Bones noted the phaser sitting in a holster on his belt.

“James T. Kirk, commanding the starship _Enterprise_ ,” Jim announced as he walked to the end of the biobed.

At a nod from Bones, Chapel adjusted the bed so it raised up and allowed the patient to be in a relaxed sitting position, all the better for him to converse with Jim.

“I see,” the patient replied.

Bones was sure that the man should have been steepling his fingers together as he looked at Jim, akin to an old school villain.

“And your name?” Jim asked.

“I have a few questions first. What is your heading?” the man asked.

“Now that isn’t fair,” Jim replied with a smile on his face. “I told you mine, only fair you tell me yours. That’s if you remember it?”

While Jim and the patient stared at each other, Jim keeping the friendly smile on his face, Bones nodded at Chapel, dismissing her from the room.

“Khan is my name,” the man proclaimed, with a proud tilt of his head.

“Khan,” Jim repeated. “Nothing else?”

“Khan.”

“Very well, Khan. Thank you for sharing your name. Our heading is for our nearest command post. We are currently in the Gamma 400 star system, if that has any meaning for you?”

Bones walked slowly around the biobed so that he could stand where Chapel had previously been, close enough to the hyposprays if needed.

“And my people?” Khan continued with his questioning. Bones noted the little flicker of annoyance from Jim at Khan not responding to his question.

“Seventy-two of your life-support canisters are still functioning,” Jim replied, no longer smiling at Khan.

“You will revive them,” Khan stated.

Bones tensed and waited for Jim to respond to being ordered around by a visitor on his own ship. It never ended well, Bones knew from past experience. He and Spock could get away with it occasionally, but not others.

“Until I have a full report from the medical staff currently monitoring them, I won’t make a decision about that. I am sure you don’t want them being revived if there were issues. Your own life-support canister malfunctioned,” Jim pointed out.

“I see,” Khan replied, his lips pursing slightly as he considered Jim’s words.

“What was the exact date of your lift off? We know it was sometime in the early 1990s, but--” Khan interrupted Jim’s question.

“I find myself growing fatigued, Doctor. May we continue this questioning at some other time?” Khan was now looking at Bones. Bones didn’t believe him for a moment. The readout from the computer screen was letting Bones know that Khan was far from fatigued.

“I need the facts, Khan. It will take very little time. For example, the nature of your expedition?” Jim asked.

“No, no. I am too tired. Please doctor?” Khan was refusing to look at Jim.

Bones knew that this conversation could possibly go around in circle for hours. Khan appeared to be very stubborn.

“A little later might be better, Captain,” Bones offered, knowing that the use of Jim’s title would get him to stop questioning.

“Alright, but I look forward to talking to you later, Khan,” Jim offered.

As Jim started to walk away, Khan spoke again.

“Captain, I wonder if I could have something to read during my convalescence. I was once an engineer of sorts. I would be most interested in studying the technical manuals on your vessel.”

“Yes, I understand. You have two hundred years of catching up to do,” Jim pointed out.

“Precisely,” Khan replied with a gentle nod of the head. Rather like a king acknowledging a servant, Bones thought.

“I will see what I can do. Dr. McCoy will let you know,” Jim said, a little hint of his annoyance visible in his eyes as he glanced toward Bones.

“Thank you, Captain. You are very co-operative,” Khan said, still with that same hint of magnanimity as before.

“Doctor, if I may have a word?” Jim requested.

“Certainly,” Bones agreed and picked up the tray before walking over to join Jim by the doorway.

“The boxes. Removing temptation, doctor?” Khan asked with wry smile on his face just as Bones was ready to leave the room.

“‘Good habits result from resisting temptation.’” Bones quoted back at him.

Khan laughed.

oOo

“What was all that about? With the boxes?” Jim asked as the door closed behind Bones.

“What? Oh, nothing much. Just a follow up to a conversation from earlier. I had the boxes taken out of the room while he was awake. That’s all,” Bones said as he walked around his desk and sat down in his chair.

“Hmm,” Jim responded as he walked around the office, stopping to look at some of Bones’ knickknacks on the far shelf.

“Are you really going to give him access to the library?” Bones asked, watching carefully to see how Jim would respond, what his body language might give away.

Jim reached a hand out to angle one of his glass bottles. “Should I?” Jim asked.

“You’re the captain,” Bones replied leaning further back in his chair.

“Ha!” Jim said as he turned and crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at Bones. “That’s gotta be a first from you.”

Bones waited for Jim to elaborate further on what he was really thinking.

“I’m not sure I trust him. He didn’t like answering my questions,” Jim said.

“There is also the issue of how much information we should pass on to a man from the past,” Bones said.

“Your medical opinion, doctor?” Jim asked, but with that little smirk on his face that Bones knew was a combination of tease and fact gathering.

“The mind is a delicate instrument and it would be a shock to find yourself 200 years into the future. The other issue is family ties. What will Khan and the others on that ship have? Can we track them, and then we have to consider their psychological needs too,” Bones said.

Jim had narrowed his eyes as he listened to Bones talk.

“What was up with those long pauses?” Jim asked.

Bones smiled at Jim changing the subject, but also his sharp observation. “Two possible reasons for it. One, he is a little unsure of his time and place here and now and taking his time before formulating a reply. The other is that he could be a dominant personality who is used to command and not used to being questioned.”

“Is that a comment about me?” Jim asked as he walked over toward Bones’ desk.

“Jim, you have me and Spock on this ship, not to mention the others. I don’t think a day goes by where you don’t get questioned.”

Jim laughed. “True,” he conceded.

“Or it could be a combination of the two, or maybe even another reason. We have never had a situation like this.” With Jim so close and an intent look on his face, Bones raised up his hand to rub at the base of his throat, attempting to hide any marks. He did it gently and in a movement that he hoped would just be taken as natural to Jim.

“Anything else you want to impart to me?” Jim asked.

Bones paused his hand movements and then realized that he had and continued the movements before he answered Jim. “You’ve seen the autopsy request about the bodies in the failed units?”

“Is it safe? Khan shows no sign of disease, but I don’t like the idea of bringing dead bodies on-board we don’t quite know enough about yet. Ask me again later when we have more info,” Jim responded. “Anything else?”

“Nah. So are you going to allow him access to the library?”

“Limited. I’ll get Spock to set up the restrictions, then he can liaise with you to check if you are okay with the subjects and information before we give it to Khan to access,” Jim explained.

“Fair enough,” Bones agreed.

“Make sure he doesn’t know it is restricted though,” Jim said as he straightened up.

Bones nodded his agreement.

“I’ll leave you to it. Catch you at dinner?” Jim asked.

“Of course.” Bones smiled at Jim, who smiled back, before turning and walking out of Bones’ office.

Bones breathed out a sigh once the door closed. He stood up and walked over to his shelving unit that had a mirrored backing. He pulled the collar of his shirt down to check and see if there was any sign of Khan’s hand left on his neck. It was a little red, so he went back to his desk and picked up a dermal regenerator, before adjusting the settings and using it on himself.

oOo

  



	5. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 5

It was a few hours later into the shift when Jim stood up from his chair and walked over to Spock, who was looking intently into his viewfinder. Jim had often wondered if it was a security blanket, like the chair was for him, as Bones liked to often remind him.

“Captain,” Spock said as he looked up.

Jim smiled at Spock already knowing that he was approaching.

“Is he an Augment?” Jim asked.

Spock’s eyebrow flicked up slightly, a little surprised at Jim’s bluntness.

“His estimated age suggests the possibility. Dr. McCoy’s report is a strong case for such a belief.”

“What about the historical records, was there a Khan among them?” Jim asked.

“Khan is traditionally a hereditary title common among the central Asian countries and those of the Muslim faith. There is a large number of Khans in the late 1990’s. The historical records of the Augments were destroyed by the governments of the time which makes searching difficult,” Spock reported, telling Jim everything and nothing at the same time as was his way when he didn’t have all the facts at his disposal.

“What is piquing his interest?” Jim asked.

Spock turned back to his viewfinder and checked the information. “Currently he is looking at historical records of earth from the 21st century onwards. Specifically political changes.”

“Understandable,” Jim said.

Spock just did one of his small noncommittal nods that Jim was finally starting to ‘read’ from him.

“He is reading quite fast and his interests are varied. Connections between some searches do not seem logical.”

Jim smiled at Spock not understanding the human mind. It would also mean that Jim would have an annoyed First Officer for most of the day until Spock was able to make sense in his own way.

“Let Bones know what he is reading, it might help him in his psych evaluation of this Khan,” Jim ordered.

“Very well, Captain,” Spock replied, his tone implying he didn’t like the implication that Bones would know something he didn’t.

Jim just smiled wider. “Keep me updated.”

Jim walked back over to his chair and sat down. Immediately, his Yeoman was at his side, with one of the seemingly never ending PADDs of administrative sign offs that were the bane of a captain’s existence. At the Academy, they alluded to the administrative responsibilities and stressed the importance of it, but they still didn’t fully prepare you for the never-ending stream of them.

“Thank you, Rand,” Jim said as he picked up the PADD that she had handed over, dismissing her for the time being so that he could go over the reports she had highlighted for him. His interest perked up a little bit when he saw that one of the reports was from Scotty about the ship, but he pushed that down the list and worked on the ‘normal’ administration first, leaving the best until last.

He was half the way through the report from Scotty about the treasure trove of a working and almost pristine condition early 21st engine on the _Botany Bay_ when a, “Captain,” from Spock had him looking up and over at his First Officer.

The look on Spock’s face had him putting the PADD aside and walking back over to Spock’s station.

“Yes?” Jim asked.

“Our visitor is trying to get around the security measures,” Spock reported.

“Hmm,” Jim pondered this new information. It was something that Jim would likely have done himself if he was in the same situation. “Will he be successful?” Jim asked.

Spock’s look told Jim everything he needed to know about _that_ question. “Fine, give him a little bit more access. That should ease his curiosity for a while.”

“Also, captain, Lt. McGivers is accessing the library in relation to information on the SS _Botany Bay_ ,” Spock said.

“She _is_ the historian, Spock and I did say I wanted a report. Keep an eye on Khan though,” Jim ordered.

“What increase in access do you wish to grant this Khan?” Spock asked.

“I shall leave that up to you. Keep in mind our earlier discussion, but make sure that nothing too operational comes to his notice,” Jim said.

“Very well captain,” Spock responded before turning back to his station.

Jim left him to walk back to his own place and the report from Scotty, where even through the written words he couldn’t seem to quite contain his excitement.

oOo

Marla screwed up her nose as she looked at the search results displayed on the screen in front of her. There appeared to be no record of a ship named _“Botany Bay”_. All the various search algorithms she used, she kept getting the same results about the original site for the penal colony of Australia. Further searches about Australia came up with their assistance for the space program of the United States of America but no indication at all that they were involved in building their own ships. The DY-100 class were built predominately on U.S.A. soil. It was a complete mystery and was making her report difficult to write.

She gave up on the _Botany Bay_ search and instead started to find out what should could about the man. A name had been provided on the manifest patient list, ‘Khan’. She wasn’t sure if it was a surname or a first name and there was such a plethora of responses, it needed fine tuning. So she started using what little she knew of the man using local and year searches, guessing that he might be around his thirties. It took a while, but a tiny mention in an article had her furiously searching for other related articles.

The sparsity of the information seemed in contradiction to the implied standing of the person. Khan Noonien Singh was apparently prominent in the Asian region during the 1980’s and 1990’s, although other information on the same area neglected to mention him. From where he was referred to, it seemed that he was a stable influence in a very volatile region. There was even the mention of an Empire but all her previous research of that era had never remarked upon one in that region.

The only thing that was lacking was an image to ‘prove’ that the man they had on-board was the same as this Khan Noonien Singh. As she stared longer at the articles, she realized that she had the perfect way of verifying the reports. He was lying in the Sickbay and Dr. McCoy might be able to help her out.

oOo

Marla spotted Nurse Christine Chapel as soon as the doors to the Sickbay opened. She was standing near a biobed that was surrounded by an isolation sheet, like the one that had been around Khan when she saw him in the room earlier. There were two other beds also surrounded by the isolation sheets, being monitored by other medical staff.

She walked quickly over to Nurse Chapel.

“Excuse me, Nurse Chapel,” she asked quietly.

“Yes, Lt. McGivers isn’t it?” Nurse Chapel asked.

Marla nodded. “Is Dr. McCoy around?”

“He’s gone to the lab to oversee the testing for the virus we have here,” Nurse Chapel explained.

Marla’s gaze flicked over toward the room where Khan was located, “Is he--” she started to ask before she was interrupted.

Nurse Chapel reached out a hand and gently patted her on the arm in a soothing fashion. “No, patient Khan is perfectly fine in that room. It is our normal isolation room and operates on a different air flow unit from this one. These patients would normally be located in that room with the isolation sheets in use, but we had to leave them out here. Makes it easier for us to contain and monitor them, anyway. Plus we don’t fully know his past medical history, nor his inoculations, although we have guessed as strongly as we can.”

“Thank you. He is, well, unique. No other historian has ever had access like this before,” Marla told her.

Nurse Chapel laughed and Marla wasn’t sure if she was being made fun of by the other woman. Nothing in what she had just said was funny, as far as she was aware.

“No, no. It’s okay. It’s just that you and Dr. McCoy share the same expression just then. Although his is normally when he is waxing about some new virus or understanding of xenophysiology that he has discovered. It’s nice to hear about the past and someone being passionate about it,” Nurse Chapel said.

Marla jumped slightly when she heard a loud exclamation coming from the other room. One of the other nurses had moved toward the room, but stopped when they looked over at Nurse Chapel. The noise could only mean one thing.

“He is awake?” she asked.

“Yes and he remembers his name, Khan.”

Marla looked down at the floor, hiding her smile that she had already learned his name and also hiding her want to ask if she could see him, talk to him. She was hesitant to ask in case she was rebuffed. But she was also mentally berating herself for not realizing that the way they would know his name to put on the manifest patient listing was if he had told them.

“You can go and visit him. I am sure he would appreciate someone to talk to who understands him time,” Nurse Chapel offered.

“What? Really?” Marla asked, looking up in surprise at how easily her desire was read by Nurse Chapel.

“Sure, but keep it very simple. He doesn’t remember too much and Dr. McCoy would not like his patient to be too unduly taxed.”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you very much,” Marla offered before she walked over to the door to the patient’s, Khan’s, room.

She took a breath to steel herself before stepping closer in order to trigger the automated door.

oOo

The patient, Khan, was reclining on his biobed, the computer station pulled across his lap so that he could see the screen easily. He looked up at her entry.

“My name is Lieutenant McGivers, Mr. Khan,” she introduced herself.

“Just Khan, Lieutenant,” he replied as he looked her up and down.

She tried not to fidget under his gaze. He stared at her face for a short time before his eyes narrowed a little.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from a beautiful woman?” he asked.

“I am the ship’s historian, sir,” she told him as she walked over to the bed. She wasn’t sure quite what to make of this man who complimented her so easily.

“Khan, just Khan will do. And your name?” He pushed the computer screen away and back into its normal place at the side of the bed.

“Marla. I have studied your time, and I would very much like to speak with you, if that is okay?” She was standing at the side of his bed, a little unsure where to go next. There were no chairs in the room and sitting on the bed would only be appropriate if the man was family.

“Marla. It is a lovely name. A study of the past? When there is this future to be seen?” Khan sat up straight, so that he was at eye level now with her. Up close, his eyes were a dark brown with little flecks of hazel in them.

“’If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday,’” she quoted at him.

Khan furrowed his brow as he looked at her, obviously trying to remember where the quotation came from.

“Pearl Buck,” she informed him. “She was a Nobel Prize winner for literature.”

“Hm, I am appreciative of today. Although not as appreciative of the fashions. Why do you wear your hair as such?” he asked, reaching out as if to touch her hair.

Marla took a step back, lifting a hand up to pat at the simple up-do hairstyle she had done that morning. “I like it. It is neat and out of the way. Can you tell me about your ship?”

“It is not flattering on a beautiful woman. Have you seen the ship?” Khan responded as he beckoned her to step closer again.

“I was part of the landing party who discovered you,” she replied.

“Ah, so I have you to thank for saving my life?” He smiled at her.

“Oh no. That was most definitely Dr. McCoy, not me.” She shook her head, knowing that what she said was true. She might have asked Captain Kirk to save him, but the decision was solely his and Dr. McCoy’s, who for all his gruffness, was renowned for his compassion and bending the rules.

Khan was smiling at her still, “Did you like my ship?”

“Yes. It was not what I was expecting at all. The photographs and records we have are minimal.  
What were you doing out there?”

“Tell me more about what you thought. How is it different from this ship?”

“It’s a lot smaller for one,” Marla said, before laughing and realizing what she had just said. “That’s not to say that is a bad thing. Your crew was much smaller.”

“Was?” he asked, his eyes intent on her, and his previous smile fading quickly away.

“Is, they are still alive. The medical staff are over there monitoring them day and night. Sorry, I am used to speaking in the past tense.” She put her hand on his arm, consoling him for the thought that his crew, his friends, might have been dead.

“How big is the crew here?”

“I don’t know the exact number but it’s over 800 crew members, I think. This is the largest ship in Starfleet. I am very lucky to be serving on it.”

He put his hand over hers and she inhaled and held her breath for a moment when she realized that he was rubbing his thumb gently over her hand.

“No, Marla. It is lucky to have you.”

She didn’t know what to think. Khan was looking at her so intently and he reminded her of... She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind. She had learned a valuable lesson and she did not want to taint this man of the past with comparison to a man of _her_ past.

“What was your ship doing out here?”

Khan waved a hand in the air. “I don’t remember. Tell me more about your life here. You must have friends on the ship?”

“I am new to the ship, only came on board from Starbase Twelve. The previous Historian received an assignment back on Earth.”

“Lucky for me, I am sure I would not find them half as interesting as you.” Khan had placed his hand back on hers, holding it in place between the warmth of his palm and his other arm.

“Um,” she said as she tried to slip her hand out. She felt a little skittish around this man who could so easily hold her hand captive, and no amount of tugging could release it as he was holding her hand very tight and secure. “Can I have my hand back?” she asked, mentally smacking herself for how wavering her voice sounded.

“Your hand?” he asked as he looked down. “My apologies, it has been a long time since I have had any human contact, especially from a beautiful woman.”

Khan let go of her hand and she quickly pulled it behind her back so she could rub some feeling into her fingers.

“I should go. I shouldn’t tax you if you are not up to it.” She took a step backwards and away from the man.

“On the contrary, I find your presence very calming and not at all taxing. Please stay and talk with me more?” Khan swung his legs off the side of the bed as if he was going to get up.

“No, please stay. I am sure Dr. McCoy would be most displeased if I set back your recovery. I will come back, if that is okay, when you are up to it and remember more about your past? Thank you for talking to me.” Marla quickly turned and headed for the door.

“I would like that very much,” Khan called out after her. She stopped and turned back toward him. “When you come back, I would like to see the real Marla, not the officer. I am not sure if I like this time, where a women’s beauty is hidden. You and I can have a friendly chat then, yes?”

“I am a woman of history, sir. My interest is in my studies, but I would like to speak to you again. Thank you, and I hope you feel better soon.” She left the room and without making eye contact with any of the medical staff in the main Sickbay room, she exited that room as well, consumed by her own thoughts of this Khan. She was just as confused about him and his past as when she entered the room.

oOo

  



	6. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 6

Jim pulled out a top and held it up. It was made from a soft brown material, with a wide collar that rolled back. As Jim held it up against his own body he realized how open it was at the chest. He looked back into the compartment, where they had found some clothes being stored, and there wasn’t an undershirt in sight.

“I think you would look good in this Bones,” he said as he tossed the top in Bones’ direction.

Bones screwed up his face as he looked it over. “I swear these clothes make no sense. What on earth did these people think was out in space?”

“By the look of that, somewhere you need to bare your chest obviously,” Jim pointed out.

Bones threw the garment back to Jim. “These aren’t giving us any answers, just more questions. Nothing makes sense here,” Bones grumbled as he tossed back into the drawer the pants that he had in his hands. He stalked away from the drawer, running his hand through his hair in frustration.

Jim smiled at how easily he could read the man and his moods. He folded up the top and put it back before walking over to the drawer that Bones had been in front of. He folded up the pants before putting them away as well.

“I thought you liked a good mystery,” Jim said.

“I do, when I know we can solve it. This one looks like nothing but red herrings. The sooner we head back to Starbase Twelve, the better.”

“Already on our way,” Jim pointed out.

“What?” Bones almost yelled it at him.

“We are on our way back to Starbase Twelve, have been for a few hours.”

Bones’ eyes did that bug out thing when he was particularly mad. Jim knew that he was making it worse by smiling at Bones.

“You mean when we beamed over, it was all moving? God dammit Jim! Think of all the things that could go wrong with that stupid atom re-oganizer, even when it’s from one stationary point to an other. Height of stupidity when the points are moving!”

“Bones, when we beam down or up from the ship, it’s always moving. There hasn’t been any issues of transporter malfunction in years,” Jim tried to make Bones see sense, even though he knew it was like talking to a brick wall about this subject. Bones hated transporters with a passion, even after five years.

“C’mon, lets try and solve this mystery.” He picked up the PADD that had the ship layout configured on it. “They said there was another storage area over here.” He lifted it up to show Bones.

“Fine, but when our patient still only remembers his last name and not much else. I think the technical term for it, is ‘we’re fucked!’” Bones had one of his sarcastic smiles on his face when he made the pronouncement at the end.

“He’s been awake how long and still only remembers that part of his name? Is he faking it?” Jim sat down on the low bench in the middle of the room.

“Six hours, give or take a bit. He claims to have no other memory, but little things slip out. Not enough to make a valued judgement one way or the other. It is still hard to predict how amnesia will affect an individual’s brain. No two cases are exactly the same. So he could be speaking the truth, or he could be lying through those perfectly white teeth of his.” Bones had sat down on the other side of the bench, so that they were shoulder to shoulder.

“What sort of clues has he given?” Jim asked.

“Not anything really helpful. Just a vague sense that I think he thinks he could run things better. He was definitely in command in some aspect back in his time. He also flirts inappropriately with any female.”

Jim laughed at that last point. “Well, if I was asleep for 200 years I might be inclined for some human contact.” Jim winked at Bones.

“He doesn’t flirt like you. It’s more... I don’t know, it’s hard to say, but I know that he made Chapel uncomfortable and she didn’t want to tell me about it. He does have a magnetism, but I’ve made sure that my staff understand that they are not to go into that room alone and it should always be a mix of gender.”

“That’s a bit old school of you,” Jim said.

“You’ve met my mother,” Bones dryly replied with a sardonic lift of an eyebrow.

Jim grinned wider.

“God knows that if I had been asleep for 200 years, I would still ask after my loved ones,” Bones mused.

“What if you can’t remember them?” Jim pointed out.

“Then wouldn’t you wonder if you had any? Any little clue, I would hope I would want to find out more. But this Khan appears content not to wonder. He did show emotion about the people still here though. Maybe these are his loved ones?”

Jim stood up. “Who knows. Let’s have a look in that other room and see if that can shed any light.”

Jim had walked around the bench and held a hand out to help Bones up, even though he knew very well that he didn’t really need it. Bones shrugged at him, but grasped his hand anyway.

oOo

Nyota called over H’terh to take over her position at the comm station so that she could speak to Spock. Once she was sure that H’terh was in position and had the comm unit securely placed in their listening orifice, she walked over to Spock, who was sitting in the Captain’s chair while Jim and Leonard were on the other ship.

“Lieutenant,” Spock said quietly as she approached.

“I have noticed the patient has attempted unauthorized access, sir,” she said, keeping her voice low.

“Indeed, this Khan has made attempts. I have been monitoring his access.” Spock maintained his posture of looking forward across the Bridge, observing all in front of him. Nyota knew that he wasn’t deliberately ignoring her, it was just his way to ensure that their conversation was perceived to be ordinary business to the other crew.

“Yes, I have observed that. He has tried to access the communication system. I have ensured that a block has been placed in his way,” she reported.

“Very good. Please keep me updated on his attempts.” Spock looked at her and she knew that the inflection of approval was there in his tone. Others would not have picked up on it, but she knew him better than others.

“I do wonder, sir,” she said.

“Wonder, Lieutenant? It is rare that you wonder about things.” Spock was interested in her statement, she was sure. It was proven in that he did not glance away to look about the Bridge, but maintained his gaze in her direction.

“Nero,” she stated. Spock preferred brief reports, getting to the heart of the matter. He might use a lot of words in response to someone, which drove Jim and Leonard a little nuts at times, she knew, but he liked things succinct when they were reported to him. She was sure that she wouldn’t need to elaborate on her feelings, that he would know exactly her concerns.

“Yes, I have thought of that Romulan as well today.”

“A man from the past as opposed to a man from the future. This one doesn’t appear to be a madman, yet,” she said.

“One does not have to be mad to be dangerous,” Spock observed.

“True, but if we do not know about this one, it makes it difficult to predict his patterns of behavior,” Nyota observed back at him.

Spock inclined his head slightly and turned back to look around the Bridge once more. She followed his lead and glanced around. Hikaru and Pavel at the helm, Beth at the station behind the chair, the two Williams on Engineering systems, and Blertzk at the Science station.

“We have him in our custody, under our observation, which is considerably greater than the encounter with Nero. The captain is being cautious. He may just be a displaced man from the past. We shall have to wait and see until we have further proof.”

“Very well, sir,” Nyota said as she smiled at Spock. He was still looking ahead, but she knew he saw her smile, so she turned and returned to her station, to continue her multitasking of staying ahead of the patient, monitoring the subspace waves, and all the general chatter on the ship.

oOo

Marla heard her name called in a voice that was familiar to her. When she turned her head, it was to see Pavel waving at her and then indicating the spare seat opposite him. She made her excuses from the group that had been questioning her and walked over to join him, resolutely ignoring the pleas for her to stay and talk.

“I thought you looked like you could need some help,” Pavel said, smiling at her as she sat down.

“Thank you, Pavel. I understand their interest but...” She shrugged before picking up her fork and pulling the plate off the tray so that she could start in on the stew she had selected for her meal.

“You are not used to being the center of it,” Pavel was looking down at his own tray as he spoke.  
She paused with the fork part the way to her mouth, a little shocked at how well Pavel had picked up on what was, not annoying her as such, but making her uncomfortable.

“Yes,” she admitted quietly before turning her attention back to the stew.

They ate in silence together for a while, before she put the fork down and looked at Pavel, who was two years younger than her, but who had years of experience that she was likely to never catch up to.

“You aren’t curious about Khan?” she asked.

“Very much so,” Pavel said. “If you want to talk, I am happy to listen. Otherwise I am happy to talk about whatever you like.”

Marla considered Pavel, trying to figure out why he was so understanding.

“You were first year at the Academy in ‘58? Yes?” he asked.

“Oh,” Marla said. “Yes. I understand now.” She smiled at Pavel, remembering the circus that erupted after the _Enterprise_ limped back to Earth, and the attention granted to all it’s crew. The boy sitting opposite her now was only seventeen at the time, was in the thick of the action, and had received a large amount of notice afterward.

“How did you manage?” She rested her chin on her hands, her food forgotten as she questioned Pavel.

“Starfleet kept most away. We had debriefings and counselling sessions, and final exams to finish. There was curiosity among Academy students too, but Captain Kirk kept an eye on me. He is very good man. I hope to be a captain like him one day. I was very proud to be selected for his crew.”

“I wasn’t sure what to make of him when I learned of my posting. I haven’t served under another captain, so I can’t compare but he seems fair, if a lot more hands on than I expected,” Marla said.

Pavel laughed.

“No, no, I think it is a good thing. I still have my report to finish for him though. I just wish I could have spoken to him longer.”

“The captain?”

“No, Khan. He was tired and doesn’t remember a lot about his time,” she explained.

“You spoke to him?” Pavel leaned forward eagerly on the table.

Marla was pleased to see his reaction, as opposed to the curiosity of the other crew members. When she first joined the crew, it was understandable that not many would seek her out to speak to. She had told herself that over and over. She was a solitary soul she knew, but it had still hurt a little bit. The existing crew had nearly five years together to make friendships and she was joining them for only a few months toward the end of their first mission. Pavel was the anomaly. He had spoken to her a few times and a little friendship had been forged between them, she liked to think.

“Yes, Nurse Chapel let me speak to him, but he was more interested in where he is now.”

Pavel nodded at her. “It is not the strangest thing to happen to us,” Pavel admitted. “It is probably the strangest thing to happen to him.”

“Pavel, why are you not eating in the officer’s mess?” Marla asked, the thought just coming to her.

“The captain and Dr. McCoy are back from the other ship and I heard Lt. Uhura confirm that she and Mr. Spock were joining them for dinner in the Captain’s quarters. It is nice to see more people sometimes and I got to eat with you.”

Marla glanced down to hide the blush she knew was on her cheeks.

“You were not in systems on Alpha?” Pavel asked.

Marla shook her head. “I am about to go on shift,” she explained. She glanced up at the chrono on the wall, noting that she had a few minutes before she needed to report for duty. “I should go. Thank you for inviting me to sit with you.”

Pavel waved a hand toward her tray. “You did not eat all your meal,” he pointed out.

“I’m still a bit excited from finding the ship. I’ll get a snack later, mom,” she teased Pavel.

He smiled widely, his nose wrinkling up a little at the tease.

She packed up her tray, careful about not spilling the leftover stew in the bowl and left the table she had shared with Pavel.

oOo

  
Nyota pulled the hem of her dress up slightly, so that it was out of the way of the ensign who was hurrying past them in the corridor. She let it drop back down once they had passed, admiring the floating nature of the material as it fell into place around her ankles and all the bright colours printed on it, before they stopped outside the door to the captain’s quarters. The dress had been a surprise gift from Spock last year and was still her favorite.

Spock pressed the chime and it was only moments before it opened to reveal Leonard waiting for them on the other side. She could see Jim fussing over the table, directing his Yeoman about some placement or other in respect to the meal.

“Nyota, looking as lovely as always,” Leonard said as he leaned forward to bestow a kiss upon her cheek.

“Thank you Leonard, you are looking quite handsome too,” she said, taking in his casual dress. He was still wearing his uniform pants, but his top was definitely non-regulation. A nice dark green, a color that she approved of him wearing.

“Doctor,” Spock said, standing stiff backed as he waited for her and Leonard to finish greeting each other.

“Spock,” Leonard returned and Nyota bit her lip, knowing that the expression on Leonard’s face meant that he was about to say something acerbic. “I’m not gonna kiss you if that is what you are afraid of, so come on in.”

Nyota walked past Leonard, to seek out Jim and thank him for the invitation, and also to get out of the possible line of fire. Jim and her had agreed once that Spock and Leonard needed to at least snark at each other once a day, otherwise there would be war on their hands. She was always pleased though when someone would question Spock or a decision of his and Leonard would come to his defense. No matter how many times it was pointed out to Leonard, he would refuse to concede that he had done so.

“We haven’t had a dinner together for a while. Thought it was about time we had another one with just the four of us,” Jim was explaining. Nyota made sure to focus her listening on him and not on the argument behind her about appropriate greeting techniques. She noted that the door had closed behind the Yeoman and it was now only the four of them.

“Speaking of,” Jim continued. “Bones, leave poor Spock alone. Get your ass over here, otherwise the food will go cold and Nollo will get pissed at me.”

Nyota didn’t bother to smother her laughter at the grumbling from Leonard.

As she sat down on the chair that Jim had held out for her, she smelled a familiar scent, Pok tar.

“Thank you,” she whispered at Jim as he also held out the chair for Spock.

Jim smiled at her before walking around the table to sit down in his own chair. He reached forward to start lifting off the covers on the dishes, while Leonard was pouring drinks for them all. In companionable silence, they started serving themselves. It was true that they hadn’t had a meal with just the four of them for a while but they had enough over the past five years to know what each other liked or disliked.

They talked about general ship business for a while, a few reminiscences included about past missions and shore leave, before Nyota decided to bring up her observation about the similarities with Khan and Nero.

“Can’t say I haven’t thought it too,” Jim said. “As Spock reminds me often, we have to consider the facts as we have them.”

“Indeed,” Spock agreed.

“Have to consider how Khan would be feeling as well. We don’t know what their original intentions were on that ship, but it wouldn’t have been to wake up 200 years in the future,” Leonard pointed out.

“He is very interested in this time and does not like the restrictions that have been placed on him,” Nyota said.

Jim looked interested at what she had revealed.

“I noted him trying to get around the security measures while you and Leonard were on the other ship. We kept ahead of any of his attempts.” Nyota explained.

“That’s my girl,” Jim said with a cheeky smile. Nyota resisted rolling her eyes, knowing that Jim was teasing and wanted her to rise to the bait. Leonard did it for her instead.

“If she’s your girl, I don’t want to know which of us is your boy.”

Nyota noted that Spock had opened his mouth, about to speak, when he frowned at Leonard instead.

“Dr. McCoy, did you just kick me under the table?” Spock asked.

“Yes, now shush, or else I will do it again. Harder,” Bones griped at him.

Nyota tried to hide her laughter behind her hand, but Jim being Jim, he just burst out laughing and made no attempt to hide it.

“I can strongly advise Spock that you should follow the good doctor’s advice in this instance. If only to make sure that I don’t have to hear him whine about you for the rest of the evening.”

Leonard glared at Jim and Nyota raised her glass at Jim’s diplomatic skills, ensuring that Leonard’s ire was now directed his way and stopping Spock questioning him further.

The dinner continued in a similar fashion for the rest of the evening, teasing and banter among the four of them, before Nyota and Spock made their goodbyes and left Jim and Leonard alone together in their room.

oOo

Marla kept one eye on the systems screen that was monitoring abnormal changes to any of the environmental systems while she kept the other one on the library texts which she was scrolling through on her PADD. After leaving Pavel, an idea on a lead to follow came to her and she hurried to her room on her way to starting her shift. That left her here and now checking her PADD while still doing her shift responsibilities.

She flipped back and forth between two texts before smiling. Two names that were linked by similar information in the articles; Dr. Arik Soong and Dr. Sarina Kaur. She now had some more information to understand the man, Khan, and a lead about Dr. Kaur’s son that seemed to never be mentioned again.

oOo

“Jim, that’s the second time you are reading those. Put them down and come to bed,” Bones called from the bedroom.

Jim knew from his tone that it was time to listen to the advice, so he put the PADD down and ordered the lights off in the living area, before joining Bones in the bedroom.

Bones had on his pyjama pants and was pulling the covers back on their bed. Jim had already toed off his boots and socks earlier, so he pulled off his pants and then his top, just dropping them on the ground and ignoring the look from Bones. Jim crawled across the bed, so that he was kneeling on the other side and could lean in and kiss Bones. He lifted up a hand to slide it around Bones’ neck gently. Bones pulled back from the kiss, turning his head and neck away from Jim’s hand. Bones gently pushed Jim on his chest so that he fell back onto the bed.

“Get onto your own side, kid,” Bones growled.

Jim watched the intent look on Bones’ face, before he lifted up his hips so that he could do as he was told and get under the covers. The slight flinch that Bones had done when Jim touched his neck was new and Jim thought back over the day. There had been another moment when a similar thing had happened. He let it slide instead, knowing that to push and question would make Bones clamp up tighter than Scotty holding onto some dilithium crystals. He rolled over onto his side, pulling his pillow into position so that he could tuck his head into it just how he liked it.

He exhaled as he felt Bones climb into bed behind him, feeling the mattress dip as Bones adjusted into his normal sleeping position. Bones pulled the covers back up and then wrapped one arm around Jim’s waist. As Jim called for the lights to go off, his last view was of Rascally sitting on his side table. The little stuffed rabbit had been with them on this mission from the start and even though Jim knew that superstitions were just that and had no basis in fact, he liked to think that the rabbit had been watching over them. Jim’s thoughts were busy as always in his mind, but he tried to calm them down, or at least send them to a quiet place to rest. He could feel Bones’ head resting on the back of his shoulders, feel Bones’ hair tickling slightly on his bare skin. Bones moved his head and pressed a dry kiss to Jim’s shoulder. Jim smiled as he breathed deeply and pushed back slightly so that he could feel all of Bones up against his back. There he was, like always, protecting Jim’s back, silently and quietly.

oOo

  



	7. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 7

Marla stood hesitantly by the door. Khan was sitting upright on his bed, head tilted to the side and looking in her direction after he had glanced up from the screen he had obviously been reading before she entered the room. He smiled slightly at her, a gentle smile that she thought meant he was pleased to see her. He didn’t speak or greet her so she greeted him instead.

“Mr. Khan.”

He waved a hand in the air and tilted his head slightly and she remembered the repeat of this conversation earlier, so she amended his title.

“Khan. I wonder if your reading has helped you to remember more of your name?”

“Khan Noonien Singh,” he told her.

“You remember?” she asked excitedly. The name didn’t match up to Dr. Saur’s but it did match up to the name, Khan Noonien Singh, that she had found information on earlier. She was still intrigued by the information on Dr. Saur, and she resolved that it would be a line of enquiry she would follow up on later with Khan. She stepped closer to the bed and he pushed the computer away and back into its resting position, before patting a space next to him.

She perched delicately on the edge, mindful of making sure her skirt was pulled down.

“I do,” he told her.

“Do you remember everything?” she asked, trying to stop the eagerness from showing in her tone.

“Do you?” he asked back, a slight smile on his face. “Do you remember the name of your pet dog, your first day at school or your first kiss?”

Marla tried to hide her blush at the memory of her first kiss. “I didn’t have a pet dog and the others, well I understand what you mean. We don’t remember every little detail of our lives, but do you remember most of yours?”

“I remember some, but other parts...” He shrugged. “I would have thought you had a pet dog, or maybe it was a cat?”

“No,” Marla said.

“You seem a very caring woman, I would have thought you had a pet as a child,” Khan said while he leaned forward slightly.

“Did you?” Marla counteracted, leaning a little back. He wasn’t looming over her, but it had been a while since someone had been in her personal space as Khan now was.

“I did, and they brought me much joy. I am sad that you did not have an animal as a pet.” Khan reached forward and patted her hand gently as he spoke.

Marla glanced down at their two hands, hers resting on the edge of the bed, so pale in contrast to a man with Asian ancestry who had spent 200 years without access to natural light. Questions arose in her mind about the systems on the ship and the thought that had gone into the design of it in order to hold bodies in stasis for such a prolonged period.

She didn’t move her hand, not exactly comfortable with the touching, but okay with it for the moment. She asked Khan about the ship again, and they started comparing space travel in the 20th and the 23rd Century. Khan didn’t remember everything and he was still a little vague about why he and the people were on the ship. Marla was pleased to see how much care and consideration he had for the rest of his group. He asked her to keep him updated about their condition and she took pains to let him know that they were receiving the best possible care.

When she finally left him so that he could get more rest, she was excited about the information she had gleaned from him and was eager to return to her quarters to start writing up her notes. Food could wait.

oOo

Bones knew that he could have sent the report to Jim, but he wanted to see for himself, Jim’s reaction to it and not rely on some half-assed pithy explanation from Spock. The Bridge was filled with its normal bustle of efficiency, he noted, as he walked through the doors. Spock looked over from his station, so Bones gave him a nod before continuing on his path to see Jim.

“Bones, is it getting to be all work and no play down in Sickbay again?” Jim asked as Bones approached until the PADD held in Bones’ hand came into Jim’s line of sight. “That for me, Doctor?” he asked.

“Yes, latest report from Medical on Khan Noonien Singh,” Bones stated.

Jim had held out his hand for the PADD but at the mention of a full name he looked up at Bones in surprise.

“You can thank Lt. McGivers for that piece of information. Our patient has started to remember more of his past. Still has lapses though,” Bones explained. He wanted to add an ‘apparently’ on the end of that sentence but this was an official report and he needed to keep to the facts.

Jim had taken the PADD while Bones spoke and opened up the report.

“Are these findings correct?” he asked, frowning as he looked up at Bones again.

“Checked them myself. Our patient has exhibited strength and endurance well in excess of normal human abilities. He has been exercising in his room on his own, and we have been able to monitor his vitals while he does so.”

Jim nodded as he listened to Bones’ report. He was reading the information again.

“I’ll need this report sent to all the senior officers. Briefing at 1340. Thanks Bones.”

“See you at lunch?” Bones asked.

“Nah, I’ll have some in my office instead. Got a bit to consider now.”

“Sure,” Bones agreed, leaving Jim to study the report in more detail.

oOo

“Sickbay to Captain Kirk,” Bones said into the comm unit a few hours after he had taken the report up to Jim on the Bridge. He had a request he needed to ask about.

“Jim here,” Jim replied.

“Our patient, Mr. Singh, has requested to be allowed to walk around the ship,” Bones explained the request he had just received.

“Are you okay with this?” Jim asked.

Bones sighed as he considered his options before answering that question. His immediate answer would be no, but medically speaking there was no real reason to keep Khan cooped up in the room. His biological systems were functioning well, very well in fact, but there was something intangible that had Bones hesitating.

“Medically speaking there is no need to keep him confined in the room, and I understand that he might go a little ‘stir crazy’ being kept in there alone,” Bones said, answering, but not answering.

“I will approve on one condition,” Jim said.

“Yes?”

“He must have a security detail with him at all times. I will get Burly to liaise with you and I give you the honor of breaking that news to our patient.” Bones was sure he could hear the smirk in Jim’s voice.

“Gee, thanks Captain,” he replied, letting his sarcastic tone out in full force.

“Kirk out,” Jim said as he disconnected the call.

“Great,” Bones complained to his empty office before he stood up from his chair, ready to return to Khan’s room and give him the ‘good news.’

oOo

Jim rested his chin on his hand as he listened to the debate raging amongst his senior officers.

“Superior ability breeds superior ambition,” Spock intoned as he sat up straight in his chair, chin raised slightly almost as if he was daring Bones to respond.

“I always thought you Vulcans considered yourselves a superior species, does that mean we should be watching our backs too?” Bones asked, narrowing his eyes.

“We were not the scientists who attempted selective breeding. Your scientists did not foresee the problems. They were blinded by their own ambitions.”

Bones had opened his mouth to speak again, but Jim smiled slightly when Uhura interrupted their argument with her own question.

“Are we certain that he is an Augment?” she asked.

“The medical information tells me if he isn’t, then he is one very unique individual,” Bones told her.

“What about the others on the ship? If he is an Augment, then it is likely that they are as well,” Jim said.

“Bit hard to do the right tests with them still in stasis and I don’t want to bring them out yet. Not until we get more information on their support systems. Nearly went wrong the last time,” Bones responded.

Scotty leaned forward on the table before speaking, “I have a few of my engineers working on those systems. The ship is remarkably clean and free of dust particles in the main areas, but I still think some may have gotten into the stasis tubing. No amount of cleaning over 200 years can get everything. Which is why this Khan had problems when he awoke.”

“So it’s definitely likely he was an Augment?” Uhura asked again.

“I think it’s very safe to assume so. Spock, what information do we have about the Augments and their role in the war?” Jim sat back in his chair. He knew that his staff needed to vent a little about the situation, hence why he had been happy to allow Bones and Spock to have a little back and forth.

“In 1993, a group of Augments seized power simultaneously in over forty nations. When the infighting and the war ended, the remaining governments purged many of the records. From my initial view of the records of the time, it appears that up to eighty names of suspected Augments disappeared completely from the records.”

“That fact is missing from the history texts,” Jim observed.

“Would you reveal to war-weary populations that some eighty Napoleons might still be alive?” Spock asked with an arch of his eyebrow.

“True, that could have caused even more panic at the time. Is one of the missing names Khan Noonien Singh?” Jim asked.

“I would like time to prepare a more detailed report, Captain,” Spock said.

“Alright, I propose that we maintain the security detail on Khan, but on a down-low basis as much as possible.” Jim looked in Burly’s direction and when he received a nod from Burly letting him know that his order was understood, he continued, “Tell him that it is for his own safety, to provide assistance when he requires--”

“Will he believe that?” Bones interrupted.

“Probably not, but that is what we will tell him. Scotty, I will forward the new information I have received from McGivers about the DY-100 class. I want a report on the life support system and Bones, get me any information you can glean from your medical staff about the people still in stasis.” Jim held up a hand. “I know you have limited information to work with, but get me what you can.”

Jim waited until Bones had nodded his acquiescence before continuing his orders. “Burly, let your staff know my decision, I want them alert around Khan, but give him a little leeway so that he doesn’t fully suspect, if possible.”

When all his staff had either nodded or replied with an “Aye captain,” he dismissed them to return to their stations.

oOo

The words were almost taking a life of their own as Marla dictated her notes. She almost couldn’t speak quick enough to keep up with her thoughts and recollections. Her chat with Khan had been most productive and as she kept speaking, she glanced around her small room.

Sharing with others had been a trial for her at the Academy. She liked her solitude and peace. At the Starbase, she was pleased that she had her own room assigned in the Starfleet personnel area and again here on the _Enterprise_. She couldn’t believe her luck to have her own space. She had taken the time to put up her paintings. Unlike historical military environments, where all spaces were uniform and stark, Starfleet had learned from past mistakes. Personnel were encouraged to personalize their own spaces. It was felt to be more beneficial to the working environment and the long spans of times between physically being able to see family and friends. It _was_ tempered by movement between assignments, as you could only take items with you that could be easily transported. She remembered that there had been some eyebrows raised at the shape of the holders for her canvases, when she arrived on board only a few months ago.

Two of them she had painted while at the Academy and one on the Starbase. The Academy ones had meanings for her and she didn’t want to be parted from them. They were hurtful and she had to hide her feelings deep down when she looked at them, but she also didn’t want to lose that pain. She could understand Khan’s need to look more to the future when they talked. Looking back on the past must be painful for him, too.

To others, they would just see some great military leaders from the past, but she saw in them strength, determination, and a belief which, even when faced with internal doubts and fears along the way, they soldiered on because the end result was worth it.

She was here, on the prime listing for anyone in Starfleet, as a valued member of the crew and quietly going about her work in support of their mission. She loved the past, but had come to realize that sometimes the future was the better option.

oOo

“Ensign Tao will recover?” Spock asked as he stood next to Bones.

Bones looked over from the biobed screen where he had been monitoring the antibiotic agent responses in Tao’s system.

“Just a run of the mill airborne virus that has mutated slightly. Clever bastards that they are. We caught it early thanks to G’der reporting sick. Now what has _really_ brought you down to visit Sickbay?” Bones asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned to face Spock.

Spock narrowed his eyes slightly, and Bones knew that early on in their acquaintance that he would have missed Spock narrowing his eyes, but not now, after five years of observing the Vulcan.

Bones just quirked an eyebrow and turned on his heel to walk toward his office. He listened as the door stayed open longer than usual after he walked through it, sure in his knowledge that Spock had followed. As he sat down in his chair, he didn’t bother to hide his smile when he saw Spock standing in front of his desk, hands clasped behind his back.

“Thought you might prefer to talk in here,” Bones offered.

“Indeed,” Spock intoned in his almost emotionless voice. “I am aware, doctor, that you and I have had a difference of opinion on many occasions.”

Bones just nodded for him to continue.

“I would like to know further your thoughts regarding the patient, Khan Noonien Singh.”

“Didn’t I make it clear in the meeting?” Bones asked.

“You did not respond to Lt. Uhura’s question about whether or not he is a product of genetic engineering.”

“Jim answered that,” Bones responded.

“As the patient’s physician, you are better equipped to answer that question and I am requesting your answer,” Spock said, a little tilt to his head implying his impatience with the discussion.

“Spock, sometimes I wonder if you ate a dictionary as a child.” Bones tried not to laugh at the way that Spock tensed up at the words. “I’m from the South, we appreciate plain speaking and my god man why do you have to use twelve words when three will do?”

“I have discovered in our acquaintance that you can be as verbose and evasive as you are accusing me of in our acquaintance.”

“Fine. I think he is an Augment, but,” Bones held up a hand to stop Spock from speaking, “you should be aware with your love of facts that until I have conclusive proof I can’t say so. That’s one hell of a can of worms. Jim has looked at the evidence and that is what he believes. As our Captain, we follow his orders.”

Spock’s eyebrow headed quickly toward his hairline.

“Alright, we follow them when they ain’t completely stupid,” Bones conceded. “Which to be fair, there hasn’t been much this past year that I have disagreed with completely. I’m taking as many precautions as I can with my staff and you heard Jim’s orders. Burly has sent two of his men down to ‘assist’ Khan.”

“I noted that permission was granted to the patient and he is not currently located in Sickbay.”

“No, he asked to visit Lt. McGivers,” Bones explained, his jaw tightening as he remembered his reservations when he heard the request.

“You do not approve, Doctor?” Spock asked.

“No I don’t, but while he remains mostly polite and understanding of the restrictions, I have no cause to stop him. Without Lt. McGiver’s research and her discussions with him, we wouldn’t know as much as we do.”

“Mostly, Doctor?” Unerringly, Spock picked up on the one part that Bones didn’t want him to. “He has stepped over the line in respect to your staff?”

“Not with my staff as such, just a little familiar in ways that many of the female staff are not used to. It’s not overt and just a ‘feeling’ they get when they have attended to the room.” Bones explained. “Lt. McGivers hasn’t expressed any reservations, but I made sure that the Security detail knew they were to stay on duty outside her room in order to come to her aid if she felt uncomfortable at all.”

“Very well, Doctor. Thank you for your time,” Spock said as he nodded his head once before walking out of Bones’ office.

As the door closed behind Spock, Bones let out a slightly frustrated sigh that generally built up during any and all talks with Spock. “It’s like talking to a damn computer,” he complained out loud.

“Yes, Doctor Leonard H. McCoy?” the computer’s voice queried at his unintentional speech.

“Not you,” he complained back to the computer, before getting up and stalking back into the main area of the Sickbay.

oOo

  



	8. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 8

Khan heard the sound of water coming from the bathroom space and he quickly closed the page he had been looking at, returning the screen back to what Marla had up originally. He also closed down his search for her username and password. The bed still had a slight dent from where he had sat down so he stepped over quickly and sat back in the same spot. He rested back on his elbows, all the better to give the impression that he had been patiently waiting for Marla to finish in the bathroom while admiring her paintings. She had an amateurish hand, but some skill. Her admiration for men of the past, of great men, pleased him.

As the door opened and she walked out, he sat up a little bit, pleased to see the demure smile on her face. She was an attractive woman, a hint of red in her hair and pale skin which he admired. It was not marred by freckles or other blemishes. For all the equality of this new order, the women were often baring a lot of flesh. They were also quite forthright and did not understand their place.

“Please come and sit with me,” he invited, making sure to keep his voice cajoling. She was a hesitant woman, probably quite innocent from what he knew of them. He needed an ally on this ship and if it was a beautiful woman, all the better for him.

She sat on the bed after initially looking over at the small space where her computer was located, but ultimately chose to be closer to him. He did not doubt his ability to entice her closer.

“I am flattered that you chose to paint me,” he said, sitting up straighter and looking her in the eye.

“I just wanted to understand you better, and art soothes me. Helps me keep things clear,” Marla said, looking away from him, but not before he caught her blush staining her cheeks.

When she glanced down at her hands, which were clasped in her lap, he reached over and covered her hands with one of his. She looked up wide-eyed, and he was sure that his belief in her innocence was well founded. “You have chosen great men to paint and admire, and in my time I was feted and revered.”

He raised his other hand to slide around the back of her neck, tangling a finger into her hair, which he was displeased to see was still tied up high on her head. She opened her mouth slightly, inviting him closer, so he leaned forward slowly.

“If you were in my time, you would be treated as a Queen,” he whispered before leaning the final distance and pressing a kiss to her lips. With her innocence, he had to gentle his desires that she inflamed. He felt her in-drawn breath but then she softened and closed her eyes so, he deepened the kiss.

He kept his hand just holding her in place at the back of the neck, all the better to adjust the angle so that he could control the kiss. Her hands had fluttered slightly under his at the first touch of their lips but now they were relaxed and he gripped them gently, noting the feel of sweat on her skin.

He pulled away slowly, pressing one final gentle kiss to her lips before waiting for her to open her eyes. She did, blinking a little before her eyes widened, realizing what had just happened. He smiled at her and leaned forward to press a kiss to her cheek and then to whisper in her ear, “Lovely.”

He knew how to ensnare an innocent woman and he was sure that Marla was stunned by his attention. It was time for a strategic retreat. Leave her with questions and a desire for more. He had done this with their previous conversations, knowing that she would seek him out again.

He stood and walked toward the door quickly, turning only once he had reached it, hand over the button to release it, and take him out to the corridor and the presence of Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

“I am loathe to leave you, but I fear you make me feel too strongly. Until tomorrow,” he said before pressing the button and walking out into the corridor. He tried to hide his smile from the two trained monkeys assigned for his ‘security’, after watching one of Marla’s hands slowly rise up to touch at her lips. The woman was now his, marked and ready to be of service to him and his people.

As he walked along the corridor, resisting the urge to touch the stark whiteness of the walls, he made sure that not one thing missed his attention. Things were too shiny on this ship, but there was some commonality that he did recognize. The two goons were still following him closely, but he noticed a young man enter a door off the side up ahead of them. This section did not have any personal rooms; there were two laboratories on that side and a mess hall on the other side but the door that he went in was only a small space. The closer he came to the door he realized what the room was for and he decided to test how much latitude he could get from the goons.

He stopped in front of the door, turned back to his ‘escorts’ and tilted his head toward it. The two men stepped over to the side and out of the way of anyone else walking along. He pushed open the door and looked at what a public toilet looked like in this new time. There was a second door off to the far left and two cubicles to his right. One of the cubicles was occupied and a sign was on the other saying it was out of order. He walked over and pushed the button to open the far door and inside he could see two urinals. He let the door shut and walked over so that he could lean back against the sink, waiting for the young man who he had watched enter the room finish in the cubicle.

While he waited, he thought back over all the information he had read on Marla’s computer. The most intriguing was the secondary control room in Engineering. He couldn’t wait to get back to his room and get access again. Marla had let him know that her other role on the ship was as a Control Systems officer. Using her login information wouldn’t raise any eyebrows or suspicions while he looked at what he really wanted to know.

The youngster was taking a long time in the cubicle and Khan glared at the door, willing it to open. The longer he waited, the harder it was to control his temper. He looked over to the main door and mused that his followers hadn’t yet come inside to see where he was and what was taking so long. They still hadn’t come into the room when Khan finally heard movement from the cubicle and then the toilet flush. He stood up straight as he waited for the door to open.

When it finally did, it was a very young man who came out. He had tight curly hair and a look of surprise on his face to see Khan waiting.

“I’m very sorry to make you wait,” he said in a thick Slavic accent.

Khan stepped up close to him, looking hard to memorize the face of the young man.

“I will not forget your face,” Khan stated, before walking past him, pushing the young man as he did so.

oOo

Bones had just sat down to talk with his staff, who were enjoying a break in the rec room, when he heard Khan speak.

“Doctor, I need to speak with you,” Khan said.

Bones looked over his shoulder to see Khan standing right behind him. His security escort standing a little further away. Bones turned back to the table, seeing the card game paused while the players watched Khan with interest.

“Excuse me,” Bones said as he stood up from the chair and nodding at the staff seated around the table. The smooth movement of it backwards alerting Bones that Khan had to have stepped back.

“This way,” Bones said as he pointed toward a space over by the waterfall, away enough from other people that Khan could speak without being overheard.

“Excellent,” Khan agreed and led the way over.

Every discussion Bones had with Khan, proved to him that Khan was a dominant personality, an old fashioned alpha male. If the man had been a dog, Bones could see him marking his territory all over the ship.

“This ship is strange,” Khan said as Bones joined him. Khan was rubbing the leaves of the tall plant between two fingers.

“It’s no different from any other of this time,” Bones replied.

“You are supposed to be military, yet I see nothing but pleasure around.” Khan was looking around the room.

“People need time to relax.”

“Hmm,” Khan said in non-committal tone, looking back at Bones.

Bones tried to hold his posture and keep his expression neutral, giving off none of the unease he felt under Khan’s stare.

“I think you need your room back,” Khan finally spoke again.

“How so?” Bones asked, a little confused at the change of topic.

“I am well, am I not?” Khan asked, waving a hand gently down his body.

“You are physically fit,” Bones replied, keeping his replies as short and with the least amount of information being given away. The comment from Khan about the room made sense. He wanted out of the Sickbay.

“There are people who need that room more than I. I should move into separate quarters,” Khan announced.

Bones noted that it wasn’t a request, just a statement of fact.

“I will consider it, and talk it over with the captain,” Bones said.

“Are you not the Chief Medical Officer?” Khan asked, stepping forward a little so that he could speak quieter to Bones. The noise of the waterfall as it splashed into the shallow pool at the base was louder than Khan’s speech.

“We have rules, and a captain. I can advise and I will advise what I believe is best for my patient,” Bones replied, clasping his hands behind his back and standing still while Khan leaned in toward him.

“Your patient. I am pleased to be your patient. You take excellent care of people. But I am well now.” With that statement, Khan stepped back, nodded at Bones and walked past him.

Bones let out a sigh, before glancing over his shoulder to watch Khan walk from the room, followed by the two security men. A quick glance around the room proved to Bones that Khan was also the center of attention of all others as well.

Bones watched the water droplets splashing up and falling back down into the pool and onto the rocks and mossy plants at the waters edge, while he thought about how to mention this new request to Jim. There was no knowing what the man could get up to outside of the monitoring they could do on him in Sickbay, but Bones could also understand the desire to be out of there as a patient. Bones would leave the final decision up to Jim, no matter when Jim tried to get Bones to make the decision instead.

With the resolution made, Bones walked out of the rec room, leaving the happy noise of the crew and the calmness of the pond behind him.

oOo

Jim thanked the Yeoman who had poured a small portion of liqueur into his glass. He lifted the glass up to his lips as he turned to face the guest of honor, Khan. Their dinner was completed and now was the time for some questioning that he and Spock had discussed earlier that day.

“Forgive my curiosity, Mr. Khan, but my officers are anxious to know more about your extraordinary journey,” Jim said as he picked up the glass to take a sip, looking around the table at his senior staff; Bones, Spock, Uhura, Scotty and Sulu.

“And how you managed to keep it out of the history books,” Spock added.

Jim noted the flash of anger in Khan’s eyes, directed toward Spock, before he masked it and a slight smug smile was left on his face. “Adventure, Captain. Adventure. There was little else left on Earth.”

Jim kept eye contact with Khan while he noted that Spock had sat up straighter in response to Khan not acknowledging his speaking.

“There was the war to end tyranny. Many considered that a noble effort,” Spock pointed out, finally getting Khan’s attention.

Khan had tilted his chin up as he turned the chair he was sitting in so that he could face Spock directly. “Tyranny, sir? Or an attempt to unify humanity? How many wars are fought in the name of so-called tyranny? As the lovely lieutenant understands,” Khan turned his head to look at Lt. McGivers, who was sitting to his left, before continuing to speak. “History is often written by the victors and yet she endeavors to discover the _real_ history.”

“Unify? Like a team of animals under one whip?” Spock asked and Jim noted that Uhura had tensed slightly as Spock spoke.

Jim wasn’t sure if Spock had discussed their conversation with Uhura. He hadn’t put any restrictions on whether Spock could speak to anyone else about it, but Spock tended to keep things close to his chest most of the time. It could be that Uhura was just responding to Spock’s own tensing up. Jim had learned to watch Uhura’s reactions to help him in understanding Spock better. These thoughts made Jim glance over at Bones, who appeared to be nonchalantly interested in the conversation going on around him, just sipping from his liqueur glass. However, the tight grip on the glass was telling Jim that Bones wasn’t as uninterested in the conversational direction as he appeared.

“It was a time of great dreams, of great aspirations,” Khan proclaimed, waving a hand in the air.

“Under dozens of petty dictatorships,” Spock responded.

Khan leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. Jim had been made to listen to Bones giving him lessons on fluctuations in body language over and above what he received at the Academy, but this was a classic ‘I’m not gonna listen to you’ pose if ever he saw one. Like a toddler refusing to eat something they didn’t like the look of. He knew that explanation because it’s what Bones told him he did on a regular basis.

“One man would have ruled eventually. As Rome under Caesar. Think of its accomplishments,” Khan proclaimed.

“Many of those accomplishments predated Caesar under the Republic,” Spock said. “His transferring the Republic into a Monarchy has been suggested as the start of the Fall of the Empire. The later years indeed indicate that--” Before Spock could finish his sentence he was interrupted by Khan.

“You are an excellent tactician, Captain. You let your second in command attack while you sit and watch for weakness,” Khan said with a smile that Jim thought was a little too smug.

Jim heard Bones put his drink down with a decisive thud onto the table, while out of the corner of his eye he saw Scotty sitting up straighter. He knew he had to respond quickly otherwise two of his staff with quicker tempers than himself would say things that Starfleet might regret.

“This is a social occasion, Mr. Khan. As I said earlier, my officers were keen to know more about you and your time. Mr. Spock delights in debate and learning. You do have a tendency to express ideas in military terms.”

“It has been said that social occasions are only warfare concealed. Many prefer it more honest, more open.” The smug smile was still on Khan’s face and Jim had a great desire to see that it was wiped off.

“That is not a quote I am familiar with,” Jim said. “I am most interested that at a time when Earth needed great people to stand up against tyranny, you and your people seem to have fled. Were you afraid?”

“I’ve never been afraid,” Khan declared hotly, smacking a fist down on the table.

Jim focused on Lt. McGiver’s hand which she had moved over to place on Khan’s forearm.

“You left at the very time mankind needed courage,” Jim pushed, seeing if Bones’ comments earlier about Khan not used to being questioned was true.

“We offered the world order,” Khan said, almost hissing it out between his teeth. The man had a temper.

Jim found it hard to hide a smile at Khan’s reveal. “We?” he queried.

The mask of temper that had been coloring Khan’s face slipped away and Jim saw his advantage disappear. Khan had reigned his temper under control. “Excellent. Excellent,” Khan said as he sat back into his chair. Lt. McGiver’s hand dropped off his arm as he raised it up so that he steepled the fingers of both hands in front of his chest. “If you will excuse me, gentlemen and ladies, I grow fatigued again. With your permission, Captain, I will return to my quarters.” Khan stood and starting bowing very slightly to each of them.

Jim stood and returned the slight bow. Khan turned on his heels and walked out of the room.

Lt. McGivers had also stood. “Thank you for the dinner, Captain. I shall retire for the evening as well.”

Once she had left the room, Jim sat back down in his chair and turned toward Bones, quirking an eyebrow up at him.

“Is that enough confirmation for you that he is an Augment?” Jim asked.

“Wasn’t up to me to answer that question fully, but I think we still need to keep a close eye on him.” Bones had picked up his glass again and took a sip when he finished speaking. “Spock was right, he was likely the last of the tyrants to be overthrown, that much is definitely certain.”

“I must confess I always had a sneaky admiration for ones like that one,” Scotty pointed out. “And he keeps a very clean ship.” Scotty lifted up his glass in order to toast his cleanliness.

“Is that an indictment on my watch?” Jim asked with a smile on his face, teasing Scotty.

“Aye, can’t stand how white and shiny everything is here,” Scotty said with a wink. “I’m sure I can come up with some improvements. Those cleaning bots gave me a good laugh.”

“He was the most dangerous of them,” Jim said, getting the discussion back on track, after a smile in Scotty’s direction. “Although from what we know, possibly the best of the lot. They were stronger, braver, certainly more ambitious, more daring. Supermen, in a sense.”

“It was true that he didn’t attack others until attacked himself and kept that area of the Asian continent war-free for many years,” Uhura pointed out.

“This romanticism about a ruthless dictator is--” Spock said with as disapproving tone as per normal when Jim suggested a plan that Spock thought wouldn’t work, before Jim interrupted him.

“Spock, we humans have a streak of barbarism in us, as you are fond of reminding me on an almost daily basis. Appalling, but there, nevertheless I agree.”

“There were no massacres under his rule,” Scotty pointed out.

“And as little freedom,” Spock countered.

“Spock, you misunderstand us. We can be against him and admire him all at the same time,” Jim explained, slightly enjoying the miffed look on Spock’s face.

“Illogical,” Spock replied.

Jim laughed at seeing Uhura trying to hide her smile behind her glass as she lifted it up to take a sip.

“You bet your green-blood we are. That’s what makes us so ‘fascinating’,” Bones said, mimicking Spock’s tone on the last word, although with his southern accent it gave it an inflection that had all of them laughing--except for Spock.

“Well, this evening has certainly been, ‘enlightening,’” Jim said, not being able to resist his own slight reminder of the first meeting between Spock and himself. “Good evening all, and I shall see you tomorrow.”

As Bones walked around the table, Jim walked over to summon the Yeoman to clean up the remaining dishes. He noted that Bones put a hand on Uhura to hold her back and speak quietly to her before letting her go. Jim filed it away to keep in mind for later.

oOo

Marla walked around the corner, saw the security detail outside the room they had assigned for Khan, turned around and walked back around the corner again. She stood still, biting her lip as she thought about what to do. She wanted to speak to him, but it was late and she was unsure how forward it might seem. She took a deep fortifying breath, walked around the corner again and then over to the door to Khan’s room. She didn’t make eye contact with the two security personnel who were standing on either side of the doorway. As she waited for Khan to answer the chime, she clasped her hands behind her back, all the better to stop any nervousness from showing.

The door slid open and Khan smiled when he recognized her.

“Please come in, Marla,” he invited as he lifted an arm to gesture toward the interior of the room. He had released his hair so that it hung lose around his shoulders.

She walked into the room and headed for the middle of the living area. His room was the same size as hers, one of the single junior officer rooms, although his was located on a higher deck.

She turned to face him and jumped a little to discover how close he was, he moved very silently, but she relaxed when she noticed him smiling at her.

“I wanted to apologize for how they treated you at dinner. Mr. Spock and the Captain should not have questioned you as they did. They don’t know how difficult it must be for you, being in this time,” she said.

He slid a hand up her neck, gently cradling her head. “Marla.” He whispered her name in such a fond manner that she found herself closing her eyes, focusing on the feel of his warm hand holding her so securely.

“I am very pleased that I found you,” he said quietly, before she felt him press a kiss to her cheek. She felt his breath ghost over her lips, before he was pressing a kiss to them.

She lifted her hands to rest just above his waist as she let him kiss her, enjoying the feeling of security and of being cherished.

When he pressed a little harder she pulled away from the kiss, keeping her eyes downcast, not quite ready to look at him yet. She sighed as she felt him run a hand through her hair.

“You would have made a beautiful queen for me. My people would have loved you,” Khan told her.

She looked up at him at the revelation that he had ruled a country, or something similar, back in his time.

“Yes, I had an empire and your Mr. Spock was wrong to call it a tyranny. I cared for my people, made sure that they were safe and secure. It was more than most governments have ever done. This new world does not understand me, or my kind. You do though, and it shall make being here worthwhile.”

“Thank you,” Marla said, a little uncomfortable with the compliment. He looked like he was going to kiss her again and as much as she wanted it, she knew she should go back to her room.

“I should go,” she said as she stepped back and away from Khan, away from the warmth of his embrace.

He nodded and bid her ‘good night’, before she turned to walk out of the room.

oOo

Jim stretched his neck, hoping to hear a crack or something to relieve the boredom that he felt this day. Another day of just traveling through space. Khan, blessedly, only went on two walks around the _Enterprise_ after their interesting dinner the night before.

Spock had found no further details about Khan, and Lt. McGiver’s report was thorough but more about the ship and the past than Khan himself. Which left Jim with a lot of nothing except normal business to contend with. There had been a couple of Starfleet reports that came through and he sent one back with the confirmed information about the ship and its passengers. He didn’t trust Khan, but the man had seemed to accept his shadows and didn’t try and access through their firewalls to areas that he had no right to access. It was times like this that Jim hated, made his palms itch and now he only had Bones to bother and Bones was resolutely ignoring him. Jim glanced in the mirror to look at Bones, who was stretched along the couch, feet crossed on the desk and reading from a PADD. The computer station was there and could easily be accessed but Bones was reading from a PADD instead.

“What’s so interesting there, Bones?” Jim asked as he turned and leaned back against the drawers.

“Some reports,” Bones said, not looking up from the PADD.

 _‘Right, that did it’_ , Jim thought and he started to walk purposely toward Bones. It got Bones’ attention, but at the look on his face Jim knew it was the wrong sort of attention. It was a very pissy look, which some people thought was Bones’ only expression but Jim knew there were degrees of annoyance and Bones had over 360 of them. The PADD was now resting on Bones’ stomach, face down, and one of Bones’ long fingered hands was holding it in place. Jim would have a good fight on his hand to try and get it.

“Surely work can’t be that interesting?” Jim asked, now leaning against the table, a coaxing smile on his face.

“Go away, Jim,” Bones said.

“What was it you told me the other night? To put my work down and come to bed? What’s good for the goose...” Jim said.

“Jim,” Bones said, his tone implying that he did not have the time to deal with Jim at this moment.

“You speaking as my CMO now?” Jim asked.

“Yes, now leave me alone,” Bones said and he went to pick up the PADD again.

Jim leaned forward to try and get a look at the report, which had Bones dropping it back down onto his stomach and making sure Jim couldn’t see.

“I know you know all about confidentiality. You do learn things and they do stick in that head of yours. Now would be a good time to remember it.” Bones was still glaring at him.

Jim tried one last tack, reaching forward to run a hand over Bones’ shoulder. “C’mon Bones, you know you will like it better.”

Bones just shrugged his shoulder, dislodging Jim’s hand and picking up the PADD, deliberately turned away from Jim’s view.

“Go make friends with your hand,” Bones responded in a grumpy tone.

“You want me to make friends with my hand?” Jim asked, knowing that his tone was a little on the incredulous side.

“Yes, now go away.”

“Like in that bed right over there?” Jim asked, pointing through the screen to their bed which was visible at that moment.

“Yes.” Bones still wasn’t looking up.

“I can do that,” Jim said, a wide grin on his face, fully prepared to make sure his hand and Bones’ ears got a good show.

As he walked into their sleeping area, pulling off his undershirt, Bones spoke again and spoiled his fun.

“And be quiet man. I don’t want to listen to the complaints from Spock about the god-awful noises you manage to make which they can hear through the walls. Also I am sure you don’t want to deal with Uhura tomorrow either if you disturb her sleep.”

“Sometimes I wonder at your powers to spoil my fun,” Jim complained.

“I’ve got a fourteen year-old teenage daughter. You’re easy to deal with.”

Jim laughed at the memory of the last message they received from Eleanora about Joanna’s latest scrape. “True,” Jim agreed. “Look don’t be too long, okay?”

“Sure,” Bones replied, his focus still on the PADD in his hands.

Jim smiled as he continued to get ready for bed, eager to find out if the next day would be as normal as this one, or a little more eventful.

oOo

  



	9. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 9

Marla heard a voice calling her name as she snuggled deeper into her pillow. She was sure she had a few more hours of sleep before she needed to be up. Also, the lights in her room were set to come up gradually to simulate sunrise to help her wake up, like they were for most of the personal rooms on the ship.

“Marla,” she heard said again, this time accompanied by someone shaking her.

“Whuh?” she said as she blinked her eyes open. There was someone leaning over the top of her, blocking out the pale light of the room in ‘sleep mode.’

She recognized the shape of the man. It was Khan.

He moved back out of the way as she sat up in her bed, pulling the sheet up with her.

“How--” she started to ask how or why he was in her room, but he put a finger to her lips to stop her from speaking further.

“Shh,” he said. “I need your help. The captain has decided that the life support systems are going to be turned off on my people.”

Marla was shocked, staring at him, before it started to really sink in and she shook her head, disbelieving it.

“I know it is hard to believe, but I heard him. I couldn’t sleep and went for a walk. I was worried about my people. As I stood in a room, looking out the window at the glory of the stars, I heard the far door open and in came the captain and his friend, the doctor. I was hidden from them and my escort was standing outside the other door. They wouldn’t have known I was there. Your captain was saying he had orders to turn off the support and that I would be dealt with when they return to the Starbase. It is why they have given me an escort. Will you help me Marla, will you help me rescue my people? There is sadness in me at this world that would so easily destroy what they do not understand.”

Marla let the sheet drop down as she brought her hands up to cover her mouth. “No,” she said, completely disbelieving what he had told her, but he seemed so earnest.

“I can’t believe it,” she told him.

“It is true, I have not lied to you. I need your help Marla, people’s lives are at stake. People from the past, without you they will have no future,” Khan declared, leaning forward to speak to her urgently. His hands were pressing into her mattress and his face was so earnest, that she considered his words. It seemed so horrible, but her life had told her that people could be horrible and the world not see it.

“I would like to help you, but I don’t know what to do. I mean, he’s the captain and if he has orders from Starfleet... I’m just the historian,” Marla said, shaking her head at the idea of turning off life support for eighty people.

“You can help me. You can help me save my people and help us get away.” Khan was now holding her shoulders, pleading with her to help him. She had never seen him like this before. He was always so calm and controlled.

“Okay, but I don’t know what to do,” she said.

“Get dressed and come with me. I know what to do,” Khan said as he straightened up. His tone wasn’t as urgent anymore and he was more like the man she had first met.

oOo

Marla walked up to the transporter control desk. “Hi, I’m Lt. McGivers from Control Systems. I had a report on a glitch in the targeting scanners,” she said to the Transporter Operator.

“I don’t have any record of that,” the man said as he turned to look over at the control panel.

“It was just a small one, but you know how small things can cause havoc,” Marla said quickly, hoping her nervousness wasn’t showing. She patted the man on the shoulder as she stepped around him to open up the console and peer inside.

She heard the door open and before the operator could turn around, she was pointing out the ‘glitch’ to him. “See right here,” she said.

He bent down all the better to see what she was pointing at. Marla glanced behind him and recognized Khan walking swiftly toward them. He had told her to keep the operator’s attention away from the door and that was all. Any questions she had were waved away and she was told that time was of the essence to save his people.

“I don’t see--” the man said before she heard a smacking sound and the man collapsed on top of her.

She cried out as she felt a solid body connect with her own. It made her collapse even further, banging her head back against the console. She lifted a hand up to rub at it, looking at her fingers to check if there was blood, like Aunt Evania had told her to.

“Marla! Marla!” Khan was yelling at her.

“Huh?” she asked as she looked up at him.

“Up Marla, get up,” he said.

“You hit him,” Marla said, looking at the man lying on the floor near her. Khan must have moved him off of her when she bumped her head.

“Yes. Now I need you to set up a delayed transport for us both,” Khan was leaning over her to speak.

“What?” she asked as she slowly stood up, her head was throbbing from where she had bumped it.

“Set up a delayed transport for you and I to beam over to the _Botany Bay_ ,” Khan said.

“How do you know about that?” Marla asked. Delayed transports were rarely used, except in emergencies. Only the higher level transport operators knew of them, but she also knew because of her role as a control systems operator. Without knowing how to do something, you couldn’t monitor if the systems were operating properly.

“Marla,” Khan yelled at her, making her jump and interrupting her thoughts.

“Yes?” she asked, a little scared of him in that moment. He had never yelled at her before.

“Set up the delay now, we don’t have much time,” he said as he walked over to the far wall.

She nibbled at her lip as she closed the console and started setting up the procedure. She looked down at the man lying behind her once the delay had been set up. She only needed to start it now. He looked so still, she wondered if he was dead. With one shaking hand outstretched she slowly turned and started to bend down toward him. To touch and see if he was alive or dead. Khan wouldn’t have killed him, surely? He was so set on saving his people, he wasn’t a killer. She hadn’t ever touched anyone that was dead before.

“Marla!” Khan yelled at her again. She snapped up straight and turned her body to see that he was standing on one of the pads on the transporter. “Start it, and then come up here,” he ordered.

She turned back to start it and then rushed over to the pad, not wanting to make eye contact with Khan. Extreme pressure can cause people to do things they normally wouldn’t do, she told herself over and over. Her counsellor had drummed that into her until she had started to believe it. Khan only hurt that man because he needed to save all the others. He was probably just knocked out, not dead.

Her thoughts consumed her as the transporter consumed her molecules, transporting them over to the coordinates of the _Botany Bay_.

oOo

Nyota was going through the reports from Sanchez when a call came in from the Sickbay.

“Nyota, was Mr. Khan called elsewhere?” Leonard asked her.

“No, I haven’t seen any transmissions to or from his room, apart from the one I see you just made,” she replied.

“Yeah, there was no answer. Wanted to talk to him, but got no answer from him or from the unit in the hallway.”

“Let me check. He may have gone for a walk, or to the mess for breakfast. I’ll get back to you. Uhura out,” she said as she disconnected the communication line with Sickbay.

“Lt. Uhura to Security,” she said as pulled up the list of security staff on Alpha shift.

“Lt. Commander Burly here, Uhura,” Caden’s voice came through her ear piece. He sounded a little tired, but she knew that he often needed at least two cups of coffee to make him sound ‘chirpy’ in the morning.

“Can you check Khan’s security detail for me?”

“Sure, Smith and Jones relieved Harris and Liu from Gamma. Why?” he asked.

“Dr. McCoy called Khan’s room and got no answer from him or from the comm unit on the hallway, I said I would talk to you to track him down,” she told him.

Her hand was resting on her console but her fingers were itching to just check straight away for the location of Smith and Jones.

“Caden?”

“Yeah?”

“Smith and Jones? Really? You been watching vintage Sci Fi again?”

“They do work well together and nothing wrong with the Doctor,” she could almost hear the pout in his voice. “Let me check in with them and get back to you.”

“Okay, Uhura out,” she said as she once again disconnected a comm line. She picked up the PADD and continued reading the report, checking the main communications that occurred during Gamma shift.

“Security to Lt. Uhura,” Caden said. His tone and the use of her title had her putting the PADD down immediately. Something wasn’t right.

“Khan is not in his room but Ensigns Smith and Jones are there, unconscious.”

“Thank you Lieutenant Commander. I shall inform the Captain. Uhura out.” She had noted a call being made from the hallway unit to medical, so she stood up and signalled Tezgarian to take her place as she pulled the earpiece out of her ear. She handed it over and walked around from her station to the captain’s chair.

“Lieutenant?” Jim asked as he looked up at her.

She leaned over to speak quietly to him. Telling him, in as succinct a way as she could, all that she had just learned.

Jim nodded once and then she saw his finger, that had been resting on the side of the chair’s armrest move over to press the communication button. She headed back to her station as she heard him speak to the ship.

“All decks this is the Captain speaking, go to Yellow Alert. I repeat, go to Yellow Alert.”

Nyota stood off to the side as she saw that Tezgarian was taking calls from the other areas of the ship.

“All decks confirm, Captain,” Tezgarian said.

“Thank you ensign,” Jim responded.

Once Jim had acknowledged the announcement Tezgarian stood and passed the ear piece back to Nyota and she resumed her seat.

“Captain,” Spock said from his place by the science station. Nyota turned her chair so she could see Spock.

He had one hand on his console, his finger resting on a place, obviously holding the information he wanted to relay to Jim.

“Yes, Spock?” Jim asked.

“There has been an unauthorized transport from the main transporter room. It took place at 0747.”

“No report?” Jim asked.

“No, captain,” Spock replied.

“Destination?”

“SS _Botany Bay_.”

“God damn him,” Jim growled.

Nyota started the comm line to security, instinctively knowing what Jim would want next, while silently berating herself for not checking the computer to locate Smith and Jones as soon as she found out their names. She wouldn’t have been able to prevent the transport over to the _Botany Bay_ but any medical help the two ensigns needed might have arrived a little quicker. She had learned the hard way that seconds really do count.

“Lt. Uhura, send security to the main transporter room. Then contact the personnel on the SS _Botany Bay_.”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” she replied, but before she could send a message to Security there was a hail coming in.

“Captain, we are being hailed from the _SS Botany Bay_ ,” she announced, waiting for Jim’s response.

“Put it through,” Jim said in a tone that she knew well. Jim was angry, very angry.

oOo

  



	10. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 10

The noise from up ahead had her pausing. It sounded like a fight going on. She had some training in defending herself, everyone who attended the Academy, no matter their track, had to pass the defensive training aspect at least. This sounded way out of her league. She was feeling vulnerable and a little stupid right at this moment. Khan had hurt that transporter operator and didn’t seem to have thought twice about it. If he had, he hid it well and when she questioned him about it once they arrived on the _Botany Bay_ , he didn’t yell at her, but his disdain was palpable.

He had left her then, off to free his people, he said. She stood for a while, not quite knowing what to do with herself, until she decided that the best thing would be to find Khan. As she wandered around the _Botany Bay_ , she discovered some of the life support units had been opened. Khan had managed to get them working and the people awake. Her interest in more people from the past was tempered by her fear about what was going to come next. Would Khan take the ship and leave? Would he send her back to the _Enterprise_? And how much trouble would she be in?

There was a loud thumping sound and then it was quiet. She pressed back against the wall, waiting to hear what was going on. She heard a little bit of rustling and then a sound that she presumed was a body being dragged.

She ran the other way, away from the sound. She tried desperately to remember the mapping records she had made, but one corridor seemed to blend into another and everywhere she ran, the life support units were empty and there were no other people in sight. Her luck ran out as she rounded one corner and ran literally into another woman. A hand clamped over her mouth as she opened it to cry out. The woman in front of her, who was holding her in place, was wearing one of the outfits she had sketched and described for her notes; a strange gold mesh overlay with a tight leotard type clothing underneath.

“Take her to the others,” the woman told the person behind Marla.

The hand was removed from her mouth and the woman let go. She was still being held and as they pushed her forward, she glanced up to see who it was that held her. It was a man. He was very tall and broad, with dark hair and pale features.

“Forward,” he said in standard, his voice deep.

She turned her head back around as he ordered, and while not exactly allowing him to direct her, she didn’t see any other option.

When they walked around another corner, and she was well and truly lost, she gasped at what she saw.

The _Enterprise_ crew, who had obviously been over on the ship, were all sitting on the floor. Some were tied up and the rest were in the process of being secured by Khan’s people. She recognised Mr. Scott as one of those who were tied up. Standing next to him was Khan.

As the man pushed her down onto the ground, Khan looked in their direction.

“Marla, how nice to see you have decided to join us again,” Khan said. “Let her be, Otto. She was the one to help me.”

Marla felt the hand on her shoulder no longer. She looked up and the man she presumed was Otto had taken a step away from her. She stood up slowly, waiting to see if she would be stopped, but no one did.

When she was finally standing, she saw what Khan was looking at. He had a communicator in his hand.

He flipped it open and lifted it up to speak into it.

“ _Botany Bay_ to _Enterprise_ ,” he said.

There was a pause before Marla heard her captain’s voice reply.

“This is the _Enterprise_ , Captain James T. Kirk speaking.”

“Ah Captain, I hoped I could speak with you,” Khan replied. “This saves precious time for your crew members.”

“Captain, there are--” Mr. Scott yelled out before he was cut short when one of Khan’s people kicked him, forcing him to topple over sideways.

“Scotty!” Jim yelled.

“Indeed, Captain. I have your crew members here. Once I have completed waking my people, I shall talk to you again. If you try and send people over, I shall hurt three of your people here for every one you send over. Khan out.” Khan flicked the communicator shut.

As he had been speaking, Marla had slowly walked backwards, toward the corridor space behind her. None of Khan’s people had noticed her doing so and on Khan’s threat to the _Enterprise_ crew, she turned and ran.

She heard one of his crew cry out but then Khan yelled after her.

“Leave her, she will be back.”

oOo

“There is no way to transport while shields are up, Captain,” Chekov pointed out.

Bones was pacing back and forth behind the captain’s chair and Jim was doing his best not to snap at him to stop it.

“The scanners detect seventy-two body signatures on the _Botany Bay_. I have isolated the section where I believe Khan is with the _Enterprise_ crew. Not all of the Augments have been awoken, but there are small groups in various places that we know include life support units,” Spock reported. “With each scan, new body signatures are detected. Within thirty-six minutes, all of the surviving Augments will have been removed from the life support units.”

Jim considered that news, before he dropped his hand back down on the arm rest and turned toward Sulu.

“How quick could you disengage the tractor beam and get us far enough away before we could open fire safely on the _Botany Bay_?” Jim asked.

“Jim!” Bones protested. “Scotty is on that ship, with his staff, not to mention some of my staff too.”

“It is a logical option to take, but it would result in the loss of thirteen crew members,” Spock said.

“Not to mention the Head of Engineering. I can’t believe you would consider it, Captain,” Uhura spoke up.

“I can’t put one life ahead of others, even if they are a friend,” Jim said.

“Jim, it’s down right callous.” Bones had put his hand on Jim’s shoulder as he spoke. “You are condemning people to death. Not to mention that ship is on the old nuclear power.”

“The doctor is correct, the time to get the required distance to minimize contamination will grant Khan time to escape and put his ship closer to a planet,” Spock said.

“Jim, you can’t do it,” Bones insisted.

Jim turned to look up at him. “I never wanted to, but I needed to see if it was possible. Keep the shields up and Spock, let me know once all the Augments have been woken up. I’m going to have a little chat with Khan again. Let’s see if he has made up his mind about what he wants.”

His senior officers acknowledged his orders and dispersed back to their stations. Jim made sure he didn’t look in Bones’ direction. The man was likely to to be pissed at him for just considering the option.

oOo

Marla tried not to flinch as Khan leaned down toward her. She had wriggled her fingers trying to get them free but they had secured her wrists too tightly together.

“I am very disappointed in you, Marla,” Khan said.

She bit her lip to stop herself from replying and resolutely stared forward and not at Khan.

He didn’t seem to like her ignoring him and he moved his head around in her direct line of sight, which made her choose to lower her eyes and stare at the ground instead. Out the corner of her eye, she saw him raise a hand and she braced herself for the hit that was to come next.

She was saved by the beeping of the communicator on his belt. He growled out some kind of warning to her as he stood up and stalked away, opening up the communicator as he did so.

“You okay, lass?” Mr. Scott asked her quietly.

She nodded at him, surprised that he would ask after her. It was all her fault they were in this situation.

“I tried to find a way off,” she said back just as quietly, trying not to move her mouth too much as she spoke. It had been a long time since she had taught herself to speak that way, but it came back very naturally. “No transporter and they stopped me before I could get below to the shuttlepod.”

“Don’t fear, the captain will have plans. He hasn’t failed us yet,” Mr. Scott said, with a little smile on his face.

“What do I want?” Khan was saying into the communicator as she turned back to listen in on his conversation.

“Yes, what are your demands?” Captain Kirk asked.

“I have many needs, Captain, that you will never be able to fulfill,” Khan proclaimed, a smile on his face as he looked around the room.

His people all laughed at his statement. It was obviously some inside joke with them all.

“What I want that you can give me, is transport back to the _Enterprise_ for me and my people,” Khan announced.

Captain Kirk did not immediately reply and Khan narrowed his eyes as he stared at the now silent communicator. There was one little blinking light indicating that it was still connected to the _Enterprise_. One of Khan’s people stepped toward him and opened his mouth to speak, but Khan quickly moved his hand up and stopped them from speaking.

“Very well,” Marla heard when Captain Kirk finally spoke again. “We will arrange something, but I want proof that my people are unharmed.”

“I do not like this delay, Captain Kirk,” Khan said, his voice sounding suspicious.

“You have my Chief Engineer with you, and our Transporter Chief was knocked out. I have to arrange alternatives.”

Mr. Scott opened his mouth to speak but one of the women lifted up a phaser and pointed it at the head of another of the _Enterprise_ crew, a man in his forties in a science blue top. The glare Mr. Scott sent Khan’s way could have peeled paint as Marla’s great-grandmother Teá was fond of saying.

“You have half an hour,” Khan said before snapping shut the communicator.

oOo

“For god’s sake Jim, the man is a super-human!” Bones declared as he paced back and forth across the small space of the captain’s room.

Jim knew that Bones needed to vent, to allow how scared he was show through in a good ol’ fashioned argument. It was one of the many ways that Bones tried to hide his caring nature.

“I know,” Jim replied as he picked up the phaser that had been delivered to his room by Malik, the Weapons Master. He checked over it quickly before holstering it.

“But you are still going to go out there and get yourself killed! Then where will that leave us? I swear sometimes, you get dumber each day.” Bones threw his hands up in the air before turning his back on Jim, arms crossed over his chest.

“I might like to hit people, but I’m not stupid,” Jim growled back. “We know they are super-human. We know that this is possibly some kind of trap, but they want back on this ship and I want my people back.” Jim put his hand on Bones’ shoulder and ignored how Bones tensed up at the contact. “Spock and the Security team will be there to meet them. Spock is the only one on this ship that comes close to their strength. I’ll be monitoring from the Bridge. Spock and I have already discussed this.”

“You won’t be down there?” Bones asked, finally turning around and Jim recognized the look of fear that Bones had been trying desperately to hide.

“No, Spock will.”

“Does--” Bones started to ask before Jim cut him off.

“Not yet, but why else do you think I need a phaser on the Bridge?”

A chuckle escaped Bones, at him probably thinking that Jim needed a phaser to protect himself from Uhura’s disapproval.

“I need you back in Medical, ready to come if there are casualties. There will be three security teams, one in the transporter room and two at each end of the corridor. One of the teams has orders to fall back and protect Medical if the Augments break through.” This was what he and Spock had discussed before, minus what parts Bones didn’t need to know.

Bones nodded and Jim let his hand slide down Bones’ arm, giving his bicep a gentle squeeze before letting go.

“I have given Spock orders that Lt. McGivers is to be treated as an enemy,” Jim told Bones. When Bones started to shake his head, Jim continued, explaining his reasons. “She helped Khan. Without her help, he would never have been able to get over there.”

“Jim, no,” Bones said. “I have her Starfleet record.”

“I’ve already seen it, it was sent when she was appointed to the _Enterprise_." Jim was confused about why Bones was so earnest about the record.

“Not that record, her psychological profile from her time at the Academy,” Bones said. “It’s what I was reading the other night when you wanted to look at my PADD.”

Bones’ behavior that night now made sense to Jim.

“Long story short, I don’t think she told the whole truth to the counsellor. In her second year at the Academy she was involved with a Townie. It didn’t end well. The hints the counsellor picked up on was that he was a controlling personality. Also when she joined, in her psych evaluation, some latent issues with her father or a father type figure were flagged. She was tagged as an introvert who was more comfortable on her own, but could still work well within a team environment. With the loses from...” Bones trailed off, but Jim nodded to show he knew what Bones was going to say but didn’t want to. “Well, anyway, she appeared fine, projected herself as fine. I don’t think she was, I think she was remarkably good at hiding it. Could be long term experience. Khan is a psychopath, a narcissistic psychopath, to put it bluntly.”

“That your professional opinion, doctor?” Jim asked.

“Darn right it is. The man likes to control people and with her past, he probably figured out pretty quick how to control her. Her being so interested in that time would have helped him too. You saw him at the dinner, he was very attentive to her and she liked the attention.”

“If this is the case, and I trust your judgement, why wasn’t it flagged or seen to earlier by Starfleet?”

“They needed people, Jim, pure and simple, and she seemed okay. I know that the counselling staff were literally run off their feet after everything that went on. More people to see and treat than ever before and many of them still needing treatment. All I’m saying is don’t judge her too harshly. We don’t know what Khan said to her, and the man does have a powerful magnetism. She probably didn’t know exactly what he was planning. We also don’t know what has gone on over there on the _Botany Bay_ and until we do, don’t jump to conclusions.”

Jim sat back on his desk to think over what Bones had said. Before he could reply, the door to his captain’s room chimed. Jim pressed the comm to let the person in.

“Captain, Doctor,” Spock said as he came in the room.

“Can I?” Jim asked as he tilted his head in Spock’s direction. Silently asking Bones if he could discuss with Spock what they had just been talking about. He knew Bones had told him only because of the circumstances they currently found themselves in. If not for the hostage situation, Bones wouldn’t have told him but probably would have spoken to Lt. McGivers.

Bones nodded.

“Bones has been telling me that Lt. McGivers may be under ‘control’ by Khan,” Jim said.

Spock looked in Bones’ direction and raised an eyebrow.

“She has psychological issues in her past that make her susceptible,” Bones said.

“Proof, doctor?” Spock asked.

“As much as I can get without examining her myself. I know who wrote her report and I trust their judgement,” Bones replied.

“Captain?” Spock asked.

“I’m inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt at the moment, but if she shows one instance of partiality towards the Augments, my original order stands. Relay that to the Security team,” Jim ordered.

“Aye, Captain,” Spock acknowledged. “It is eight minutes until the deadline. Sulu has the conn.”

“Thank you,” Jim said. “Please go join the Security teams. Dismissed, Mr. Spock.”

Spock turned and walked out, leaving Jim alone in the room with Bones once again.

“We are now on Red Alert, time for you to return to Medical,” Jim said as he stood up and walked to the door, ready to go back to the Bridge.

“Jim,” Bones said as he grabbed Jim’s arm as he walked past.

Jim knew the look in his eyes well. “I know,” he said to Bones.

Bones stepped close and Jim savored the kiss they shared. This was a little ritual the two of them had done too many times. Jim pushed down the fear that this might be the last moment they see each other. It had felt like a long time since they had encountered the other ship, even though it was only two days in reality. They hadn’t had a moment since where they both weren’t thinking about that ship. This could be the last time for the two of them and Jim didn’t want to think about it, even though it was playing on his mind.

“Later,” Jim promised as he stared into Bones’ eyes, memorizing that face.

“Later,” Bones repeated, his face set in grim lines.

Jim smiled at him, his ‘shit eating grin’ as Bones called it and, with a final pat on the arm, walked out of his office.

oOo

  



	11. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 11

“No,” Marla cried as three more of the _Enterprise_ crew were pulled up onto their feet and dragged away from the group.

Mr. Scott had protested loudly when the first group had been selected and removed. It had caused Khan to backhand him solidly. Mr. Scott was now bleeding from a head wound where his head had glanced off one of the sharp edges of the wall.

When she saw Khan walking in her direction, she pushed herself back and closer to Mr. Scott. She was pressed up against him when Khan knelt down next to her.

“Why do you concern yourself with these lesser beings?” Khan asked her. “They are not worthy. Have we not proved that we are superior in all respects?”

“Well, you don’t have a transporter for one,” Mr. Scott pointed out.

Khan glared in his direction.

“If we had of been allowed to progress instead of being dragged back to your level, we would have had one,” Khan said, ignoring the scoff from Mr. Scott at that statement.

Khan raised a hand to lift up her chin. “Join us, Marla. You could still be a queen.”

Marla tried to move her head away, but the wall behind her and Khan’s sure grip were keeping her head in one place. Her only way of defying Khan was to lower her eyes, but that made him squeeze her chin painfully, so she opened them up again and tried to put all her fear and defiance combined into it.

“You have plenty of others among your people to choose,” she said once he had relaxed his grip enough that she could speak. He was so strong that she had been afraid that he would break her jaw.

He leaned close to whisper in her ear and she braced herself for something. She didn’t know why but this man was so powerful and he scared her.

“I know that you will tell me the truth, that you do not hide from me. You try but you can’t. With these others I must always be on my guard, but you, Marla, are the Queen of my heart.”

With that, he let go of her, stood up, and walked away.

oOo

Jim gave the order and sat back to watch the viewscreen.

Uhura had provided a link from the cameras in the Transporter room so that they could see and hear immediately what was going on. Lt. Doohan had recovered enough that he felt up to operating the Transporter. The agreed upon exchange was that Doohan would beam two people back to each pad. This was an extremely risky maneuver, even over as short a distance they were considering. At least this allowed Jim to able to hear that Scotty was still alive. He had to provide information to Doohan in order for the man to know the correct settings. It would need two people to operate correctly, so Gaila was brought in off Gamma shift to provide the assistance.

Jim had to put his foot down in respect to Chekov, who wanted to help, but Jim needed him on the Bridge. They would have the _Botany Bay_ under tractor beam and Sulu needed help in case anything went wrong in that direction. The Augments were an unknown--they might try and break the beam and use the _Botany Bay_ to attack the _Enterprise_. With how close the two ships were, there was always that danger. All crew had gone to Red Alert and the other Bridge crew personnel shifts were available but Jim wanted those he knew had more experience.

He could also hear the collective holding of breaths as they watched the first spirals of light indicating a transport taking place. For once, the Bridge was a haven of silence, only the normal beeps of equipment breaking it.

As the bodies started to convalesce into solid forms, Spock stepped forward from the rest of the Security team. There were six members on the team. The decision he, Spock, and Burly, had come to was one member for each pad, so as not to appear too threatening but enough to cover the Augments.

Spock’s hand was down by his body, but Jim noted that the phaser was set on stun.

As the bodies materialized, Khan was at the front pad, McGivers held to him and a phaser pointed at her head.

“How the hell did he get one?” Jim asked.

Sulu and Chekov looked at each other before glancing in his direction. Uhura was listening intently to her comm unit and focusing on that. The other crew seemed to have no idea either. As Jim looked back, he recognized the other weapons; old school guns which had been out of use for nearly two centuries. Bullets, lead bullets, and if anyone was shot with them Jim was already imagining the bitching out he would receive from Bones.

Each of the Augments had an _Enterprise_ crew member held to them and Scotty was not included.

“How nice, Spock, you brought a welcoming committee for us,” Khan said with smile as he stepped off the pad.

Jim looked carefully at McGivers. She looked petrified and there were marks on her neck and chin that were likely to turn into fully fledged bruises later on. She was also trying to restrict Khan’s steps. Almost fighting him every step of the way. Jim considered that Bones might have been right, that she was a victim to Khan’s manipulation.

“Lieutenant Commander Scott is not here,” Spock said.

As Khan moved, so had the other Augments and their hostages, two engineers and three medical staff by the color of their shirts. Jim’s stipulation to Khan had been that Scotty needed to be one of those brought over in the first transport. Khan had agreed but appeared to have ignored it.

There was something about the other hostages as opposed to the way that McGivers was being held, that had Jim looking back and forth. Khan had his hand over her mouth, stopping her from speaking. The others didn’t look as scared as her, but that could be explained away by them being experienced staff of the _Enterprise_. Then it hit Jim, he didn’t recognize any of them.

“Anyone know those crewmembers?” Jim asked, looking around his Bridge crew. Even Uhura and her communication team had glanced up and were looking at the viewscreen.

“No, sir,” he heard back from various crewmembers.

“You sure?” he asked again, wanting to be positive before he made an order.

The Augments were using the possible crew members as human shields well. A really good shot might be able to stun them, but there could be the risk of hitting the human shield. It wasn’t helped by them advancing toward the security team.

He was leaning forward in his chair, staring at the screen at Khan and Spock facing off against each other.

“Captain, I confirm that none of the human shields are _Enterprise_ staff, except Lt. McGivers. Their biosignals are not recognized by the computer.”

Jim immediately hit the comm link to the Transporter room.

“Spock, they are all Augments,” Jim announced. “Fire at will.”

As soon as Jim started to speak, it was too late. One of the Augments had moved in the direction of the transporter console and was out of sight of the camera for the moment. Then cries sounded out. The security team started firing, with the Augments returning fire.

Khan had shoved McGivers in Spock’s direction and as Spock protected himself from the contact. McGivers tried to push herself away.

Jim was powerless as he watched her bump into the console and slide down the floor, probably unconscious.

The phasers weren’t working on the Augments. The stun setting was slowing them down a little, but they were regrouping and going after the security team.

Khan was battling with Spock and although Spock’s capabilities put him well above the average human, Khan was more than a match for him.

Jim winced as a bullet just missed Spock.

“Set to kill,” Jim ordered. “All decks, set phasers to kill. Five Augments are dressed in Starfleet uniforms.” Jim disconnected his ship wide announcement and looked quickly in Uhura’s direction before speaking to her. She was turned slightly so she could keep an eye on the viewscreen but was also able to still view her station. “Uhura, send visuals of the five Augments to all stations.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied.

As she spoke, Jim noticed the doors to the Transporter room opening. Burly and some of his other security team were now providing cover for the crew inside the room to retreat toward the doors. Jim noted that one of the security team was down and two of the Augments had sustained injuries as well. As he watched, Khan placed a solid kick to Spock’s leg that had him grunting and collapsing slightly. It was enough for Khan to push him backwards into the incoming security team. Khan picked up one of the discarded old style guns and was aiming it at Spock.

He watched in horror, leaning forward on his chair and wishing he was there so that he could get Spock out of the way of the bullet that was sure to head in his direction. He heard Uhura gasp behind him and then there was a security man down. Spock was being dragged back through the door and Jim could hear Burly yelling for his team to retreat. They were firing cover into the room again while the injured security man, whose name Jim was trying to remember, was being pulled through the door. He was crying out and Jim could see the trail of blood being left in a pale red streak across the white floor.

“Alert medical,” Jim yelled to the communication station, knowing that one of them would follow his order. His hands were gripping tight onto the arms of the chair. “Let them know it’s an old fashioned bullet wound.” He badly wanted to do something but needed to stay where he was, in his chair, in order to maintain control and get all the information they could.

“Seal off the Transporter room,” he ordered and could see Chekov’s fingers flying across his station in order to comply.

“Sealed, Captain,” Chekov replied, his face white with tension.

“Medical on its way,” Tezgarian told him.

“Spock? Burly?” Jim checked on his two front line leaders.

“Spock here, Captain. I have not sustained an injury. I concur with your order that kill is the only setting we can hope for with the Augments. It does not kill them immediately and requires repeated shots.”

Jim glanced back at the screen where one of the Augment men was writhing on the ground near the transporter pad, blood bubbling from his mouth.

“You definitely got one good,” Jim replied. “We will have a report to you on how many shots they sustained. Burly?”

“Here, sir,” Burly replied.

“Get the rest of your team in place. I want them kept in that room.”

“Aye, sir,” Burly said.

“Captain, the transporter officers are still in the room. If you raise the shields they are likely to kill them but it could ensure the safety of the remaining crew on the _Botany Bay_.”

“Two lives for twelve,” Jim said.

“Indeed.”

“Kirk out,” Jim said, needing to think quickly over what to do next.

“Captain, Transporter room for you,” Uhura said.

“Khan,” Jim said, holding tightly onto his temper. He would like nothing more than to be down there to tear the man limb from limb, but it would be nigh on impossible and he’d be likely to get himself killed.

He could see Khan on screen, staring at the camera directly while two of his people held guns to Doohan’s head. Gaila was slumped back against the console, either dead or knocked out.

“Do not raise your shields, Captain,” Khan said. “If my people do not beam back on board within the next five minutes, I left orders for your people to be killed. I did some reading while I stayed on this vessel of yours. Your library is very extensive and your security not very good. I know that you can not work the transporter while the shields are up.”

“Captain,” Sulu hissed at him and Jim looked over in his direction. Sulu was pointing at the screen and Jim could see a couple of the Augments standing just under the camera almost out of sight.

As they watched, two of them helped a third to stand on their shoulders and the vid connection with the transporter room was gone.

“Fuck,” Jim exclaimed as quietly as he could. He wanted to get up and pace. He wanted to be down there, but he needed to try and stay as calm as possible.

“Leave the shields down,” he ordered. “You have your wish,” he told Khan.

“Thank you, Captain. For that I shall not kill your crew,” Khan said. “Yet.”

Khan had disconnected the link and Jim thumped his fist on the chair in frustration.

“Monitor all transports and report them to me and Spock ASAP,” Jim ordered, glaring at the viewscreen that was now black.

He finally succumbed to temptation and got out of his chair. He walked back and forth in front of it, before an idea came to him. He tried not to run over to the control system console, instead walking as briskly as he could.

“Harris, I want the air-vents to the Transporter room isolated from the general system. I want to knock them out. You know the procedure, and increase the recommended dosage slightly. We already have two crew in there who have been knocked out and one still conscious. Keep that in mind,” Jim ordered.

“Aye, Captain,” Harris replied.

Jim turned back to survey his Bridge. Sulu and Chekov were trying to seem like they had been looking at the viewscreen before Jim turned around, but he knew better. Other crew members were also attempting to appear like they were not interested in what Jim was doing. The only ones that Jim believed who hadn’t been watching his every move were the Communications team and the Security officer. Jim walked over to the Communications section, wanting an update on their monitoring.

Uhura glanced up at Jim before concentrating back on her panel. Jim wasn’t bothered by what others might perceive as a slight from a subordinate. She was doing her job and at times like this she needed to concentrate as best as she could. That meant looking at her station while she monitored and received information from her team.

“Captain, Medical has reported that Ensign Papadopoulos is currently under going surgery. Three other security staff have received treatment in the corridor, but all have been cleared for duty,” Uhura said while Jim watched her flick between various communication channels. He couldn’t hear the switches happening but he knew a little about the board she was operating and was following the movement of her fingers as she connected and disconnected.

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Transporter news?” Jim asked.

Hannity spoke up in reply to Jim’s question. “Three transports already, Captain.”

“Three?” Jim asked, shocked at the number that had occurred within the short time span. He did a quick calculation in his head. “They will have to do at least ten. Relay time?”

“They are pushing it close to the line. Working hard on getting people over as soon as possible it seems,” Hannity replied.

“Keep an eye on it. If they do more than ten then it means they might be bringing over our crew as well. Keep Uhura up to date so she can relay the information to the Security team. Uhura,” Jim turned back in Uhura’s direction. “Let them know that there will likely be sixty Augments attempting to come out of the Transporter room. We will keep them informed if there is the possibility of them actually using _Enterprise_ crew as shields.”

“Aye, sir,” Uhura replied.

Jim put a hand on her shoulder, offering some silent support at a time when he knew she was being pulled in a variety of directions. The hardest direction to ignore would be the silent worry about Spock. He gave a gentle pat and walked past her and headed over to the Science station next.

“Biosign signals from the transporter room?” Jim asked Zong, the Lieutenant standing at Spock’s station.

“Lieutenant’s McGivers and Oriana are both still unconscious, Doohan is awake but under stress. I have one signal that has ceased, presumably the Augment that sustained the four direct hits from phaser fire. There are twenty-three signals that are not recognized by the computer.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Keep working with Uhura and Hannity on monitoring the signals.”

Jim had finished his round of checking with each main area. He headed back to his chair and sat down, trying to keep still. He wanted to fidget but caught himself each time there was the start of an involuntary move. He needed to try and stay calm for the sake of the rest of the crew, who would be looking to him for the best way to react. They had never dealt with a battle for their lives centered on the _Enterprise_ itself.

Jim had been sitting in the chair for nearly two minutes when Harris spoke up.

“Captain, air adjustment has been made for the Transporter room on Deck Seven.”

“Zong?” Jim asked.

“As yet no change in the unknown biosignals, but Lt. Doohan is experiencing symptoms,” Zong reported.

“Damn,” Jim said quietly. “Let me know in a minute if there is any change.”

The wait was one Jim wished he didn’t have to sit through. More Augments were beamed over and the chance that Doohan could make a mistake which would result in Khan retaliating against him was becoming a distinct possibility.

“No worthwhile changes in the unknown biosignals, but distinct changes on Lt. Doohan,” Zong announced.

“Harris, cancel it, reverse the air immediately,” Jim ordered before thumping his fist against the arm of his chair. He wanted to hit something that could retaliate but the chair had to do for the moment.

“That makes ten transports, Captain,” Hannity said.

“Security in place?” Jim asked.

“Affirmative, Captain,” Fender said from her place at the Security station.

“Any new transports?” Jim turned the chair so that he could look at Hannity more easily.

Hannity was checking over her control systems panel and didn’t answer Jim immediately. He waited for her to get the information.

“No, sir,” Hannity said.

“Captain,” Zong yelled out, causing the whole Bridge to look in their direction. “Lt. Doohan has been rendered unconscious, sir.”

“Harris?” Jim growled in the direction of the environmental control systems officer on the Bridge.

“Air flow was reversed, Captain,” Harris said, looking nervously at his station.

“Wasn’t Harris, sir,” Zong interrupted. “It was immediate. I would gather that they have knocked him out.”

“Okay, Uhura, alert Security and Spock that all sixty Augments have been beamed over and are currently located in the Transporter room. If they can’t contain them in there, ensure that they are restricted to the areas that I discussed with them earlier.”

Jim sat back in his chair, turning it to face forward and wait for the viewscreen to come online with information and vision for the upcoming skirmish.

oOo

“Captain, Lieutenant Commander Spock reports that the access to the Transporter room is all clear,” Uhura stated.

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Jim said as he stood up from his chair and headed for the Turbolift. “Chekov, with me. Sulu you have the conn.”

The past few minutes had been nothing short of chaos. Khan’s people took every opportunity to ensure that any visual or audio sensors were knocked out, making Jim rely on the constant stream of updates from his Bridge crew. The Augments were too great a number for the small space of the corridor and Khan wasn’t worried about using his people as cannon fodder, it seemed. They had injured and killed a small number before those behind them broke through and had started grappling with the Security teams.

It now meant that a number of Augments had phasers in their possession. Spock and Burly were doing their best to herd the Augments away from vital system locations, which meant that Uhura was constantly updating the _Enterprise_ crew to evacuate areas the Augments were heading toward. Not a person was left asleep on the _Enterprise_ , all had been roused at the first call for a Red Alert.

Jim bounced up and down on his feet as he and Chekov waited for the lift. As soon as it opened, Jim literally ran in and ordered it down to Deck Seven. He noted that Chekov had a phaser in hand, he was changing his grip on it all the time, revealing his nervousness.

“Set on stun, Ensign,” Jim said.

“Stun, Captain?”

“Should only be our people around here.”

Chekov nodded his compliance and pressed the little button to set the phaser back into stun mode.

As the computer voice announced the arrival to Deck Seven, Jim adjusted the communicator on his hip and stepped forward, phaser raised in preparation as the door opened.

A quick look both ways showed him that the way was clear. With a nod to Chekov, Jim was running out the lift and on the way to the Transporter room. There were only two bends in the corridor that he had to be mindful of and he slowed slightly as he approached each of them, but they didn’t meet anyone else on the way.

The door opened to reveal the main Transporter room. McGivers was still slumped against the console and Chekov ran to her immediately. Jim saw Doohan and Gaila behind the console area so he ran over to check them. As it was suspected, they had been knocked out. Doohan already had a nasty egg size swelling that Jim could feel under his hair.

There was a hiss of electricity and Jim looked over at the sensor area that had been destroyed by the Augments. All that they had done was try and pull as many wires out as possible. One of them had to have some nasty burns on their hands from the way the wires were still sparking.

Jim stood up and pressed the comm link on the console.

“Bridge, this is the Captain, disconnect the audio-visual sensor power in the Transporter room, we have live wires exposed. Kirk, out.” He looked over at Chekov, who was looking down at his feet, where McGivers was lying. “Chekov, lets get our people back.”

Chekov nodded and moved to join Jim behind the console. He did a quick check over the panel and everything was to his satisfaction, so he started the beaming process.

“Energize,” Chekov said as he pulled down gently on the lever.

Jim had moved to stand in the middle of the room, wanting to be the first sight his people saw when they were brought back.

The figures started to materialize on the pads, in a seated position. As the light from the beam swirled around them, it became clear that they all had their arms behind their backs.

“Captain,” a few of them cried out as they looked around the room and spotted him. Mouths opened and shock was the main expression in all their eyes that Jim could see, especially when they glanced around and saw McGivers lying on the ground.

“Quick, up and off the pad, we want to get the rest of you back,” Jim said as he approached the pad, helping each of them stand up and step off of it.

While Chekov prepared for the next beaming, Jim checked over his people. The ties were very secure and nothing short of a laser scalpel was likely to break the bonds. He told them this and let them know that as soon as they were all over, he would take them to Sickbay to get sorted. He touched each of them, grounding them physically that they were here, back on the _Enterprise_ and safe.

One of them looked down at McGivers and voiced what was likely going through all their minds, “Is she--?” they asked.

“No, just unconscious,” Jim said as he looked back in the direction of the pad where the next group were materializing again.

Jim smiled when he recognized one of the shapes, his Chief Engineer.

“Captain, now you’re a sight for sore eyes,” Scotty proclaimed as he grinned at Jim.

“Could say the same,” Jim replied.

He helped them up and this time he had Chekov and the first group to help answer questions.

“Are those bastards on my ship?” Scotty asked.

“They are, but we have Spock and Security hassling them. Need to get you and the others to Sickbay,” Jim said.

“I need to check with my team,” Scotty protested.

“Too bad,” Jim countered. “I want you seen to first by the Medical staff. You have blood on your head and you know how faint I get at the sight of it.” Jim winked at Scotty, knowing the man hated having to report to Sickbay as soon as he came back from an away mission just as much as Jim did. They both knew it was important and yet they would still come up with as many reasons to avoid it as possible.

Chekov was leaning over Marla as Jim walked around to put a call into Sickbay and let them know Jim was bringing them some patients.

“Kirk to Sickbay,” Jim said and waited for the reply.

He frowned at the comm unit when there was no immediate reply. He waited a few more seconds, and when there was still no response, he hailed Sickbay again, and then a third time.

“Go, Captain. Give us the all clear when you can,” Scotty said.

Jim knew he was right, if Sickbay had been breached, then they were in serious trouble. The crew being hampered with their arms bound would just be a hindrance.

“Bones, I’m on my way!” Jim said one final time into the comm unit before turning and heading toward the door.

Jim noticed that Chekov had followed him, so Jim stopped, turned toward him and held up a hand.

“I need you to stay here and help the crew,” Jim ordered, before turning and running out the door and toward Sickbay. Fear made him run faster. If Bones was hurt, he knew that he would be compromised even more than he already was. He thought of this crew as his family and it was his job to protect them. So far he hadn’t been completely successful, but this was just the start of the battle. In the end he was determined that he would win and his people would be safe.

The final corner had him running into a security team.

“Captain, we were sent to assist you,” one of them told him.

“Good,” Jim said as he took off at a run toward the door he could see.

The door refused to open when he got within range, so he stepped over to the panel and entered his override, but it still refused.

He pushed the comm unit on the wall, hailing the Bridge and ordering them to override the locking system.

“System is not responding, Captain,” he was told almost immediately.

Jim stepped over to the door and started hitting it with his fists.

“Bones! Bones!” he yelled. “I’m out here with a security team. Let us in!”

oOo

  



	12. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 12

Bones signed off the report from the surgery on Ensign Papadopolous, handing the PADD over to the attending nurse. The lock-down from earlier when the Augments had escaped from the Transporter Room had been released and now it was a case of waiting for more news and possible casualties. The Augments had escaped to the lower decks, and he had been informed that they were likely to be getting their crew back from the _Botany Bay_ at any moment.

“Bridge to Sickbay. Bridge to Sickbay,” a call came in over the comm unit.

Bones walked over to the unit and hit the button to reply.

“Bridge, this is Dr. McCoy.”

“We have a group of Augments heading in your direction,” the voice told him. “Security in pursuit.”

“Lock-down procedures being implemented. McCoy out.” Bones turned toward his staff and noted that some had already started to move and start the lock-down procedures again. “Sickbay lock-down being implemented. Move all patients to the secure rooms. Let’s go, people,” Bones announced before he started toward his office, securing that first and grabbing the little emergency kit he had stored in a drawer there.

When he came back into the main area, it was a hive of activity, all the patients had been removed and the main door had been secured. His staff were securing anything that could possibly be used as a weapon. He keyed in the final code to ensure the double layer of security before walking over to where Chapel was waiting for him.

“All patients secured in rooms Delta and Gamma. No issues reported and all within required parameters,” Chapel reported.

They both turned in shock at the noise behind them to see the doors trying to open.

“Go!” Bones yelled. “Get in and secure the rooms. Don’t come out for anyone unless you get the all clear. I’ll secure this and follow you,” he added when it looked like she was going to hesitate and stay with him.

He pushed her to make her move and she turned and ran through the door and headed for Delta.

He started to key in his code when he heard the doors open. He put in the final number knowing there wouldn’t be time for him to get through. As the door shut, he turned to see Khan and seven of his people standing in his Sickbay.

“Dr. McCoy,” Khan said, spreading his arms wide in a magnanimous gesture. “May I call you Leonard?”

“No,” Bones replied curtly. He had arranged his med kit to hang behind him and he carefully moved his hands so that he could pull out the hypospray and load it up.

“I miss this place,” Khan said, as he looked around and walked toward Bones.

Bones watched him warily, noting that Khan didn’t appear to have a weapon on him, but his men had gotten their hands on some phasers, which were set on kill.

“Otto, take the men into the Doctor’s office, you will find what you are looking for in there,” Khan said as he waved in the direction of the door to the office.

Bones watched as the man called ‘Otto’ keyed in a code and the door to his office opened. They went in, door closing behind them and leaving Bones alone with Khan.

“Now it’s just you and I, much better,” Khan said as he smiled at Bones.

Bones felt a chill creep down his spine at the look of that smile.

“Take what you need and go,” Bones said. “Leave us to care for the injured. Surely even you recognize the need for medical staff.”

Khan’s smile got wider and he stepped closer to Bones so that there was not even a body width between them.

“Do you want me to take what I want?” Khan asked, and Bones was left in no confusion as to what he meant when Khan looked him up and down.

Khan raised a hand as if to touch him and Bones took a step back, fist clenched at his side.

Khan smirked when he saw the fist and let out a chuckle. Bones took the noise as an opportunity for cover and pushed the sedative into the hypospray. He was helped out when they heard another sound, a crash coming from the direction of his office. He hoped that Khan would be distracted enough not to hear the slight click the cannister made as it connected into the hypospray.

“First do no harm,” Khan said to him as he looked back at Bones and then glanced down at the clenched fist.

“You say a lot, Khan, but I don’t think you follow through with it yourself,” Bones pointed out, carefully watching Khan to see what moves he was going to make next.

“You listen to what I say?” Khan asked. “I am flattered.” Khan had dropped the raised hand, but he took another step forward into Bones’ personal space.

“A good doctor always listens to a patient,” Bones replied.

“I don’t want you to think of me as a patient, Leonard. I will need you later for...” Khan was interrupted when a call came through on the comm unit.

“Kirk to Sickbay.”

Bones looked at Khan, who was glaring at the comm unit. Bones thought about the likelihood of him being able to make it over to it. Khan was too close and probably too quick for Bones’ liking.

The door to his office opened and Khan turned in that direction. Bones took his chance and ran toward the comm unit. He never made it. Only three steps in and he was grabbed, spun around and pushed solidly back into the wall, so close to the unit but impossible for him to do anything about it. Khan had both of Bones’ hands pinned, gripping so tight that Bones thought he might break a few bones if he kept squeezing. He concentrated on holding onto the hypospray in one hand while he tried to get his legs free to kick out or do anything.

“Khan?” Bones heard one of the Augments ask.

“This one is mine,” Khan replied, his eyes dark as he stared at Bones. “Leave us.”

The only thing that filled Bones’ vision was Khan’s face as he pressed his body full onto Bones’, shoving him back further against the wall. Every move Bones made to try and get a part of his body free was met easily by Khan.

“Kirk to Sickbay,” they heard again come over the comm unit.

Bones struggled harder, trying to get free. “Jim,” he said as he turned his head to look at the unit and not at Khan.

Khan didn’t like that and he gripped harder, making Bones cry out.

“He can’t help you,” Khan whispered, his lips ghosting over the sensitive skin of Bones’ ear. “Only you and me here.”

“Kirk to Sickbay.” Bones could hear the minute change to Jim’s tone, indicating that he was worried but trying to hide it.

“He’ll be here soon and with help,” Bones hissed back.

Khan let go of one of Bones’ wrists and brought his hand up to grip at Bones’ neck in a parody of a caress.

“But will he find you in one piece?” Khan whispered.

“Bones, I’m on my way!” Jim’s voice came through the unit.

Khan had let go of the wrong hand, Bones realized. Khan had let go of Bones’ hand that was holding the hypospray. While Khan was concentrating on Bones’ face, Bones took his opportunity. He twisted his shoulder to move Khan away a little and brought the hypospray up quickly and jabbed it into Khan’s neck.

Khan grunted at the force of the injection and Bones had a flash of warning before he was shoved away hard. He crashed into the nearest biobed. His arm connected first but Khan’s strength was such that the bulk of the force was taken on his side. Muscles pulled at angles they were not designed to go in, but mercifully he didn’t feel any bones breaking. His vision went black for a moment as he collapsed onto the floor, his head probably had hit it or the bed on the way down, he wasn’t sure. When he blinked again, it was to see Khan’s feet directly in front of him. He looked up.

Khan wavered slightly on his feet as he stood over Bones. “What did you give me?” he asked, his tone making it more a threat than a question.

“A sedative,” Bones told him.

“It won’t stop me,” Khan said, leaning down menacingly over Bones.

Bones looked over at the main door, hearing a code being entered from outside.

“It’ll slow you down for a bit and he can stop you,” Bones promised as he nodded in the direction of the main door.

“I will deal with you later. I would like nothing better to stay, Leonard, and finish this conversation.” Khan had leaned over more fully so that he was almost nose to nose with Bones. “But it shall wait.” With that, Khan straightened up and headed in the direction of Bones’ office.

Bones put his right hand around his ribs as he slowly pushed himself upright. The door to his office was closed and he could hear muffled voices from within.

“Bones! Bones!” Jim yelled. “I’m out here with a security team. Let us in!” There was some thumping on the door which caused the Augments to go silent in his office. Bones walked over to the control panel and started the procedure of lifting the lock-down. He wasn’t sure what Khan had done to get the door to open in the first place, but he was going to try his regular code and see if it would work. Jim’s captain override should have worked, but Bones wasn’t a computer specialist and didn’t try and think too hard about it at the best of times.

He had one hand braced on the wall to help hold himself up while he pushed in his code. The door whooshed open and Bones turned his head to watch as Jim rushed in, brushing against the door in his impatience to get inside. Waiting for an adequate space to open for him to come through wasn’t a Jim thing to do at all, Bones thought.

“In there,” Bones said as he tilted his head toward his office.

“How many?” Jim asked as he rushed over to Bones’ office door. The door refused to open for Jim, so he moved his phaser into his left hand while he punched in a code. The first code didn’t work.

“Eight, including Khan,” Bones said.

Jim stopped and stared at him for a moment.

“Good,” Jim growled as tried another code.

“Dr. McCoy?” one of the Security team asked him, implying if he was alright.

“I’m fine, Ensign,” Bones said.

Then the door to the office whooshed open and Jim and the security team entered.

“There they are!” Bones heard from his office, shortly after he heard his outer door open.

“Chase them,” Jim ordered. “I need to check on Sickbay.”

Bones leaned against the biobed as he wondered about Jim not chasing after Khan.

Jim walked back into the main room, holstering his phaser. He put a call into the Bridge from the control panel by Bones’ office door.

“Security team on Deck Seven is tracking eight Augments, one of those is Khan. Put a tracer on that grouping.”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” the Bridge officer confirmed.

“Sorry Bones, your office is a mess.”

“Why aren’t you going after him?” Bones asked, still confused about why Jim was standing in front of him.

“Because I need to talk to you first. They can trace that group and I’ll catch up to him later. Where’s your staff, Bones?” Jim looked around the empty Sickbay.

“In the secure rooms,” Bones replied testily as he stepped around Jim to have a look toward his office. Jim was right, there was furniture pulled over and items strewn across the floor.

“And you aren’t in there because?” Jim asked.

“‘Cause I’m not. Khan and his people broke through the lock-down.” Bones didn’t want to look at Jim’s face, knowing he wouldn’t be hiding his annoyance at finding Bones in the line of fire. “You might want to look into that.”

“Best way to do that is for you and some of your staff to come with me,” Jim said, laying a hand on his shoulder.

“Huh?” Bones asked as he turned his head to look at Jim. Today was just one confusing statement after another.

“I have Scotty and the others from the _Botany Bay_ in the Transporter room. We need some laser scalpels to break the bonds on them and they need to be checked over.”

“Well why didn’t you say so?” Bones asked as he walked away from Jim, over to pick up his discarded hypospray.

“I just did,” Jim mumbled under his breath.

“Well come on,” Bones said as he started to walk toward the main doors.

“Bones!”

“What, Jim?” Bones turned on his heels to glare at Jim who hadn’t moved from his spot. He was still standing there, head cocked slightly with that smile that infuriated Bones regularly on his face.

“Fall over and bump your head?” Jim asked.

Bones flinched at the question from Jim. “I’m fine,” he declared.

“Well then, you might want to let your staff know it’s all clear first, before you head off. I know you are good Bones, but I would like more than just you to help me with the other crew,” Jim said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Fine!” Bones said as he threw his hands up in the air and stalked back past Jim to punch in the all clear.

“You might also need a laser scalpel. Are you sure you are okay? They didn’t hurt you?” Jim asked.

“I’m fine. Khan wanted to talk. The man likes the sound of his own voice even more than you do, and I didn’t think that was possible,” Bones complained as he leaned back against the wall. “Got one already.”

“Huh?”

Bones smiled as he realized it was Jim’s turn to be confused by the turn of conversation.

“Laser scalpel. Already in my med kit,” Bones said as he patted the kit.

“Any reason why your hypospray was lying on the floor,” Jim asked.

“Got Khan with it,” Bones replied.

Jim smiled. “Atta boy! What did you stick him with?”

“Tried a sedative, made him a bit woozy it seemed, but then you came. Don’t think it will last too long though.”

The door to the side rooms opened and as Bones thought, Chapel was the first one through the door.

“Chapel, I need you. Treaber and Hends with me. Get the medkits and join me and Jim in the Transporter room. M’Benga, get everyone else back in their spots and send the orderlies into my office. It got a little ‘disorientated,’” Bones ordered his staff, not giving them time to ask questions.

Chapel opened her mouth, ready to ask a question and she was shrewdly looking him over. “I wasn’t in there and I’m fine, now get to it people.”

“C’mon,” he said to Jim as he headed out to the corridor, leaving behind his staff who he knew would be working efficiently and diligently to return the Sickbay to it’s nearly former state.

oOo

  



	13. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 13

Jim and Scotty rounded the corner and looked down the corridor toward the main entrance to Engineering. Standing outside the door were Spock and Burly, talking quietly with each other while the other Security members hung back.

“Gentleman,” Jim said as he got closer. “Care to update me?”

“Captain. Mr. Scott,” Spock said.

“Nice to see you back, Scotty,” Burly said.

“Khan and his people have secured themselves inside Engineering,” Spock said.

“The secondary control room?” Jim asked.

“It is likely that was their aim, Captain.”

“My people?” Scotty asked.

“All out and accounted for, Mr. Scott,” Spock replied.

Jim noted the look Scotty was sending in the direction of the door. The man was very protective of his area and woe betide anyone who got in his way, even Jim.

“Lt. Uhura has reported that the other Augments, who were a diversionary tactic, have retreated to the Jeffries tubes. They are being tracked and Security teams are keeping them in the tubes for the moment. I understand Khan was in Sickbay?” Spock asked.

“Trashed Bones’ office but we have no idea why. Bones doesn’t know either. He said he would let us know if anything turned up missing, but nothing so far,” Jim replied.

Jim’s communicator beeped and he picked it up off his belt and flipped it open.

“Kirk here,” he said.

“Sir,” Uhura greeted him. “They have accessed the secondary control room and are endeavoring to block the communications systems. We are working on it, but I recommend the secondary option as we discussed.” Uhura was smart, knowing that Khan and his people could be listening in.

“Do it. I’ll be back shortly. Anything in my way?” he asked.

“Negative, Captain. They are confined to the lower desks, specifically those areas around Engineering,” Uhura reported.

“Okay, Chekov back yet?”

“No, sir.”

“I’ll collect him on the way. Kirk out.” He flipped the communicator shut.

“Get communicators for each team. Word of mouth initially. Radio silence except where needed,” Jim ordered.

“I’ll get my team and get my ship back,” Scotty said.

Jim let the ‘my ship’ slide. “What’s the plan?” he asked Scotty.

“I know some back ways into the Jeffries tubes and there are access points in six areas where we can make life difficult for those trying to control things.”

Jim looked at Spock to see his reaction to Scotty’s statement, it was news to him and the look on Spock’s face said it wasn’t something that Spock knew about either.

“Do it,” Jim said. “Keep me updated, Spock.” With that, Jim left them to harass the Augments while he went back to the Transporter Room, to get Chekov.

oOo

Jim had his communicator open, listening to the updated report from Uhura. He was lucky to be on Deck Seven, he knew. The turbolift had shuddered to a halt somewhere just below Deck Nine. Uhura and the two technicians had battled, trying to get it restored, and for a moment they had, letting him off on Deck Seven. He feared that he may have gotten trapped in for the remainder of this battle. He wanted and needed to be back on his Bridge and now the only likely way could be for Chekov to beam him in there, _if_ they still had control of the transporters.

Intermittent reports had been coming in. From Scotty there had been some choice words as he battled with the Augments in the Jeffries tubes. Firing a weapon in there wasn’t a great option, as there was a huge risk of ricochets turning back on themselves and also damaging some very delicate systems. Scotty said he thought that the Augments were aware of this as well, which had resulted in some hand to hand fighting inside the Jeffries tubes. Jim could imagine how tight and close it would be and while the Engineering staff weren’t as trained as the Security staff, they were, to a man, woman, and being, as protective of the ship as Scotty was. The Augments might have some idea of the way around the ship, but that was nothing in comparison to the knowledge that Engineering had.

Spock and Burly were working with other technicians trying to get into the main Engineering room. They were both coordinating as best as they could with Uhura, who with Sulu, was keeping the rest of the ship informed. Jim hadn’t heard from Bones about what was going on in Sickbay, but he trusted the man to be doing his best to keep his people alive and well. Jim had made the mistake a few times in the past of checking up on Bones while things were getting hectic and nearly had his head bitten off for doing so.

Uhura was at the thick of it, Jim gathered. Trying to keep the communication lines open on the ship, updating everyone as needed, all the while physically trying to re-route systems. Sulu had let it slip that Uhura had been stuck permanently under her console as she battled against the Augments’ hacking. At least Sulu had Spinelli, helping him at the helm, while Chekov was still in the Transporter room. Spinelli was a good man and a very competent helmsman, and other ship captains had been trying to get their hands on him.

Jim wondered why Chekov was still in the Transporter room and hadn’t returned to the Bridge. As the door to the Transporter room opened, he figured it out.

“No, Marla. I can’t beam you there,” Chekov was saying as he physically stood in the entrance to the console area.

McGivers was standing with her hands on her hips in front of him, leaning forward slightly. Jim got the impression that the argument had been going on for a while.

Chekov looked up when he heard the door open and his face registered shock and then relief at seeing Jim.

“Captain! Please explain to Lt. McGivers, that I can’t beam her into the Engineering room,” Chekov said as he pointed a finger in McGivers’ direction.

“What?” Jim asked, walking forward briskly, angry that McGivers seemed to want to join the Augments.

“Captain, please, I know I can talk to him,” she pleaded.

“Lieutenant, you are skating seriously close to a court-martial,” Jim warned.

“I know, sir. I should be court marshaled for my stupidity already. I think he will listen to me though. I might be able to get a truce or something. He said you were going to kill his people,” Marla said, hanging her head down as she spoke.

Chekov threw his hands up in the air before crossing them over his chest.

“The Captain would never do something like that! Khan lied to you,” Chekov protested.

“I have no idea where he got that idea,” Jim said. “Shouldn’t you be back in Sickbay?”

“I’m fine,” McGivers said. “Let me speak to him, I can tell him he was mistaken about it. I know he still believes that I listen to him.”

“I don’t trust you,” Jim stated flat out. It was no time to be politic or diplomatic or any of that other bullshit that he sometimes had to trot out in order to ensure that a mission was completed successfully. His ship was under the control of a group of power hungry super-humans and here was this young woman, under the thrall of one of them, trying to get back with them.

McGivers stepped back in shock, a hand going up to cover her mouth while she gaped at Jim.

“There it is,” Jim said. “You have shown a lack of judgement in taking the word of a prisoner over your oath as a Starfleet officer.”

“Yes, sir. I agree,” McGivers said, dropping her hand down as she raised her chin up a little. There were tears welling in her eyes and Jim had a small amount of sympathy as she admitted her mistakes.

“This is why I would like to try and fix it. Khan wants to believe that I will be on his side. He still--” she hesitated, taking a deep breath before continuing. “He still finds me attractive, sir, and if I can use that to let you know what is going on in that room, I can be of some small assistance. Please let me help.”

“Is the Transporter online?” Jim asked Chekov.

Jim kept his arms crossed while he watched Chekov check the transporter console. He wasn’t interested in letting McGivers put herself back into Khan’s clutches, but the possibility of transporting into a room on the _Enterprise_ had a tactical advantage he might be able to use.

“Please let me,” McGivers implored again.

“Lieutenant, I am not inclined to put you into the same room with a man that I know you have shown a partiality for. If we can beam into the room, then I would send in those that are likely to overpower the Augments and grant us control of the ship back,” Jim explained. He knew he was being a little curt with her, but it was the only possibility he was going to consider.

“Sir! If you send in Security or anyone else, Khan and his people will kill them on sight. He stopped any of his people from hurting me. I know he will still not let them do it. I can be of help. Please, please let me. I have experience with people like him. I know what he wants and I can get him to listen to me.”

“Captain, they haven’t touched the Transporter system and I don’t think they understand it. They had to use one of our Transporter chiefs when beaming people over,” Chekov reported.

“True, Captain. Khan needed me to do the initial transport over,” McGivers backed up Chekov’s statement.

Jim didn’t want to send her, but her earnestness was not faked, he was sure. She wanted to atone for her mistakes and if Khan was distracted by her, it might help them out. He flipped open his communicator to speak to Uhura.

“Captain Kirk, I hope you are enjoying the lack of air,” Khan’s voice came through over the comm unit on the wall.

Jim looked at the wall unit in shock. Khan’s statement didn’t make sense.

“Spock, your Captain and the rest of the Bridge crew are currently experiencing a lack of air. You will surrender to my people,” Khan announced.

Before Jim could connect his communicator and check on the Bridge crew, Spock had beaten him to it.

“Nyota? Nyota?” Spock put out a general hail.

Jim, McGivers, and Chekov all crowded around Jim’s communicator, waiting to hear a response.

There was none. Even when Spock called again, no answer was forthcoming from the Bridge.

McGivers moved over to the wall unit and started pulling up details on the screen there. Chekov was looking over her shoulder and pointing at various things as they scrolled by on the screen.

Jim stood behind them, noting Chekov bouncing on the balls of his feet, obviously not comfortable with McGivers being in control of the computer.

“What has happened?” Jim asked, impatient for news.

“He has used a narcotic on the Bridge crew, they are alive, just knocked out,” Chekov said.

“Captain, please let me reason with him, I can use the communicator and leave the line open. You can hear everything that is going on, but let me try,” McGivers pleaded.

“I don’t like it, but do it, Chekov. Send her in there and you keep that line open. I want one of my people flying my ship and I want it to happen as soon as possible.” Jim held out his communicator to McGivers.

“What about you, sir?” McGivers asked.

Jim walked over to the storage unit on the far side of the room. He opened it up and got a spare communicator out. He tossed it to Chekov, who looked at him quizzically.

“Call Spock, tell him there will be an open communication shortly and to be prepared. Don’t say anything about me, in case they are listening.”

“Aye, Captain,” Chekov said, flipping it open and following Jim’s instructions.

Jim walked back over to McGivers so that he could speak to her quietly.

“I don’t want to do this, but my crew and our ship are in danger. I’m willing to give you a chance to prove your worth as a Starfleet officer. The control of the ship is now in the hands of people who don’t understand the technology they have. Good luck, Lieutenant,” Jim told her.

“Yes, sir. I will do my best not to fail you and the crew,” McGivers said before turning and walking over to the transporter pad, flipping open the communicator and putting in a link to an open line. She slipped it back onto the belt at her waist, keeping it open but turned inwards to hide that it was on. “I’m ready,” she said and her voice could be heard over the other communicator that was sitting open on the console.

Jim could see the fear lurking in her eyes, masked by bravery. It was the best way to be, he knew. If you didn’t have the fear lurking there, then you made stupid decisions that hurt many others and not just yourself. He nodded at her.

“Good luck, Marla,” Chekov said. “Energizing.”

With that word, Jim watched as the beam swirled around her and her atoms were scattered, hopefully to appear within the main Engineering control room.

oOo

Marla took courage from the look on Captain Kirk’s face and the little smile Pavel gave her, before they disappeared from her sight to be replaced with the larger space of the Engineering main control room. There were a few phasers pointed in her direction as she materialized.

“Don’t shoot,” she said, lifting her hands up in the air, scared that her mission would end before she could even speak to Khan, where ever he was.

“Lower your weapons,” she heard Khan order from behind her.

She turned slowly as she lowered her hands. Khan was standing with his arms crossed in front of him, a phaser tucked into his pants. He was still in the clothing that had been lent to him from the quartermaster, a pale blue top and black pants, similar to what all the medical orderlies wore. A thought flickered across her mind if he had noticed that he had been put in clothing that he might consider beneath him. Her main thoughts though, were wrapped up in the displeasure she saw on his face.

“Marla,” he said, stepping closer to her. She stood her ground and tried not to flinch or show how scared she was.

As she stood silent under his perusal, she tried to memorize as much around her as she saw, how many people were in the room, where they were standing. But she didn’t want to look away from Khan, for fear that he would take it as disinterest. She needed to try and reason with him and show him how eager she was for him to help the _Enterprise_ crew as well as his own. They could learn from each other.

“I see you managed to find us,” he said.

“Yes, sir. I needed to speak with you,” she replied.

“Need? Yes, a woman like you would need,” he said as he started to walk around her.

It was too much and as he moved, she turned so that she was always facing him. He smirked at her when he noticed.

He stopped when one of his people swore and thumped on the console they were standing in front of.

“Report,” Khan said shortly.

The man who had swore was looking at the console still.

“Report,“ Khan snarled out, obviously not happy about being ignored. It made everyone else in the room stop and watch the by-play.

The man turned, he was wearing one of the gold mesh type outfits, so he wasn’t one of those who had originally beamed back with Marla and Khan.

“Apologies, Great Khan. The system is no longer responding.” The man stood with his head slightly bowed as he spoke.

Khan stalked over to him and pushed him out of the way. He tried to press some buttons but then he too turned around, physically growling and then he pointed at Marla.

“Marla, fix this,” he ordered.

“I--,” she started to say.

“Fix it,” Khan said imperviously.

She nodded and slowly walked over to the console, her heart beating so loudly she was sure that everyone in the room would be able to hear it. Khan didn’t move out of the way, just turned sideways so she was almost touching him as she looked over the system. It was the navigational system. She wasn’t as up to speed on it, but she knew the basics.

Marla leaned forward a little so she could scroll through the system and try and get it to respond to basic commands, but nothing happened. There was no control from this console on the system without an override.

“Well?” Khan asked, his breath strong over her skin, making her shiver.

“He was correct, sir. There is no control for the system here. It has been overridden,” Marla said, turning her head slightly so she could look at Khan.

“I told you to fix it,” Khan said, lifting a hand up and touching Marla gently on the back of her neck. He drew little circles on the sensitive skin just at the base of her hairline. “I also told you to not wear your hair like this. Why do you try and vex me so?”

“I don’t mean to, but I can’t fix this. I can fix systems that are here, but this system’s access has been removed. I need my hair up to work,” she told him.

“No, you don’t,” Khan replied. He moved his hand slowly up her scalp until he reached the tie to her pony tail.

She hadn’t had a chance that morning to put it up properly, as he was rushing her to get dressed. She blushed as she remembered his hands touching her and the flashes of skin she tried to hide from him as she changed.

Khan slowly started tugging on the tie, pulling her ponytail loose. Some hairs caught around the tie and his fingers but he just he pulled them out. Marla hid the little flash of pain that it caused.

“Great Khan, I think the _Enterprise_ crew have gotten control,” one of Khan’s men said.

Khan didn’t turn to the person that spoke until he had pulled her hair free and ran his hands through it, rubbing gently on her scalp to loosen the hair around her face.

“There, better,” he said before he stood up straighter and turned away from her. Marla slowly stood up straight herself as Khan started to speak. She didn’t turn around as of yet, she was steeling herself for speaking with Khan once he had finished with his people.

“Their Bridge is out of their control, their captain and crew fast asleep at the wheel,” Khan said.

“We have lost contact with some of our people in the tubing system. What if they have access points in there?” the man who had spoken before, replied to Khan.

Marla turned her head to look at Khan. He had narrowed his eyes as he considered the information. He saw her looking at him and turned back to face her.

“Is this true, Marla?” he asked.

“I don’t know. It could be,” Marla replied. “Some of the engineering people are often working on systems in the Jeffries Tubes.”

“Where are they?” Khan asked.

“Here, here, and here, we have lost people it seems,” the man said.

Khan had walked away from her and over to the man to see the where he was pointing.

“Otto, Jochim, take four others and get those areas back,” Khan ordered.

Marla looked around the room and the number of people in it. If six left that still meant there were over ten others in the room.

“Are you sure that will be enough?” Marla asked.

Khan stared at her.

“If it’s three areas and they have already dispatched your other people, will six be enough?”

“You dare question my people’s superiority?” Khan asked, walking back over to her.

“No, of course not. You are stronger than us, but those areas are small and tricky and the Engineering people know them like the back of their hands. Wouldn’t it be better to attack them from both directions?” she asked.

“You are on our side now?” Khan asked.

“I don’t want anyone to be hurt, either you or my crew mates, but this needs to end soon.” Marla tried to offer an explanation he would believe. “Also, Spock and the Security forces are out by that door.” She pointed at the main door. “Open the doors and people will start firing straight away. There is another access point,” she said.

“I’m listening,” Khan said.

“There is a back door to the Dilithium chamber, so that it can be accessed in an emergency. If they go out that then it takes them out a corridor that I imagine the security team are not monitoring.”

“Khan, she is one of them. It would be a trap,” the only other woman in the room spoke up.

Marla held her breath as Khan lifted a hand up to her face, but he just ran the back of his hand down the side of it.

“Marla, does not lie. Otto, Jochim, take ten instead. Two will come at them for each section in opposite directions as she suggested. Marla, show us on the plan where this access out is,” Khan ordered.

“Okay,” she said, walking over to the man who was obviously called Jochim. She recognized Otto from the _Botany Bay_ , as the man who had originally captured her with the other woman.

Jochim moved aside to allow her access to the screen. She pulled up the map of the room they were in, and at the same time sent a link to the transporter console. She hoped that the Augments would not notice the extra link.

“We are here,” she said, putting an indicator mark on the spot where she was standing. “If you go out here, and along here it will take you past the Dilithium Chamber. The Emergency access is here and you come out into this corridor.” The whole time she had been tracking the path to be taken with her finger, knowing that it would show up on a screen where anyone else was viewing.

“You have that?” Khan asked Jochim, who was peering over her shoulder.

“Yes, Khan,” he replied.

“Go, and report back in when you have control of those areas again,” Khan dismissed him.

Marla flicked the screen back onto the map of the Engineering main control room. She waited until the selected people had started to file out the back of the room before she spoke again. Khan had moved to stand in the middle of the room and she checked to see where the remaining four people were located. She turned back to the screen and quickly pressed her finger over each of their placements within the room, hoping that it worked and the Captain and the security people were seeing it.

“Are you sure that four people are enough to protect you?” she asked.

Khan flashed a look of anger her way before he laughed.

“I need no one to protect me Marla, but four of my people are more than a match for twenty of yours. You have over eight hundred people on this ship and I had sixty. We have control of the ship. Who is the greater?” Khan asked. “Now, come here.”

She walked toward him, where he stood with his arms opened out wide. When she reached him, he gently took her upper arms in his hands and then turned her around so she was looking at the main doors.

“What do you see?” he asked as he held her gently by her arms. He was standing so close to her that she could feel all of him pressed up against her.

“Doors,” she said. A little unsure exactly what he meant by this.

“Beyond those doors, are all your crew. Yet in here, I have the control. I am the one in charge. They can’t get to us,” Khan said. “Who is superior?”

“I don’t want anyone hurt. I don’t like it when you hurt people. Why won’t you talk to the Captain?” Marla asked, trying to see if the man she first thought she had met was still there in this ruthless, hard, general.

“Why should I speak to someone so beneath me? Besides, he cannot talk to anyone at the moment, he is taking a nap with the rest of the people on his Bridge. I have read up on your captain, a young fool who got lucky. Promoted beyond his abilities because people died. I worked my way up. Fought with my bare hands and used my intelligence and my right.” Khan shook her slightly as he spoke.

“You cared so much for your people. You didn’t want them hurt. Can’t you see that we care for each other here too? I am sure if you talked to them like you talked to me, they would help you,” Marla implored, looking up at Khan.

“Marla, Marla, Marla,” Khan said as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the spot where her neck and shoulder met, the part of her skin that was just being revealed above the top of her uniform. She closed her eyes when she felt the touch of his lips on her skin.

He was such a contradiction, so gentle with her at times, yet he seemed not to think twice when he would hit or hurt someone.

“Khan! Khan! It’s a trap,” a voice came over the comm unit. Then there was the sound of phaser fire.

The woman in the room was hailing the person back, “Jedda, this is Kati, report!”

Khan’s hands on Marla tightened painfully, making her tense up her shoulders. She tried to hide her fear, push it down so that Khan wouldn’t suspect her.

“You set this up,” he hissed in her ear.

“No! I didn’t know,” Marla tried to reason with him. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes.

“I thought better of you Marla,” he whispered into her ear. “I was going to make you my Queen. All would bow before you. You would love and worship me. But you are not worthy. I was mistaken. You are inferior like the others here.”

While Khan had been speaking, Kati was still trying to hail Jedda back. Marla heard the sound of more phaser fire and then a cry before the sound cut out.

“It doesn’t have to be like this. Please, Khan, please,” Marla cried out, tears literally streaking down her face as the fear overwhelmed her.

Khan had moved one of his hands to lift her chin up, his fingers spread across her neck. He leaned down to her while she brought up both her hands to grab at his arm and try and make him let her go. She couldn’t stop him as he pressed a kiss to her lips.

“No,” she protested.

“You are not worthy,” Khan whispered as he stared down at her.

Gone was the man who had gently held her, listened to her talk of the past and her passions. Gone was the man who she thought had cared for her. A mirage like all the others.

He started to squeeze on her throat, a smile on his face as he did so. She pulled at his arm with her hands, trying desperately to release his grip. He squeezed harder, making her gurgle as she tried to cry out.

“Shh, it will all be over soon,” Khan told her.

She tried to scream. She tried to kick at him, but found her legs felt like they were moving through water, slow and gentle and heavy. She felt all of her body grow weak, her head was heavy and she clawed at his face. He only leaned back out of her way and laughed at how pitiful and weak she seemed to him.

She closed her eyes, she couldn’t bear looking at him and his mockery of her weakness. So stupid to be gulled again by a man. The counsellor was wrong, no one cared enough for her and never would. They were only interested in using her. She felt again like the time she fainted after the first beating. When she woke she knew she would ask for a discharge, if they didn’t kick her out already. She needed to be alone. Her tongue felt swollen and she was drooling down her chin as he kept squeezing and squeezing, taking the breath from her as he took her hope. She felt the moisture as his fingers slipped a little on her skin. She tasted the bitter salt of her tears. She felt...

oOo

  



	14. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Chapter 14

Jim heard the call back to Khan from one of his people. Obviously, Spock and Burly had been listening to Marla as well and had received her clues. The clever woman had let them know exactly how many people were still in the room and where they were.

Jim had been worried when Khan had told her to fix the system, if she would obey him or not. He had been almost ready to have her beamed right back out of there again. Chekov had run over to the wall unit and tapped into the access that was being viewed by her and he smiled at Jim over his shoulder when Marla told Khan she couldn’t fix it.

“Captain, she can,” he told Jim.

Jim furrowed his brow in Chekov’s direction.

“If she want, she could fix or at least provide some control access. She is lying to them,” Chekov exclaimed, a little smile on his face as he spoke.

“Good,” Jim had nodded back at Chekov, before turning back to look at the communicator that was lying open on the transporter console. Willing her to give them some more information, or try and get the door access opened. Anything to give them an advantage.

He turned back in concern when she told them how to attack the Engineering crew in the Jeffries tubes. He was in two minds. She seemed to be helping them again, but she could have been lying to Khan before about fixing the system. It was hard to gauge her intentions.

“Captain,” Chekov hissed. “If Commander Spock is listening too, she is telling them where to ambush them.”

Jim looked at the communicator, loathe to put a comm through to Spock in case it was intercepted by the Augments.

“Chekov, check the biosignals for our crew in the Engineering area. Are any moving?” Jim asked.

“Yes, Captain. They are moving to intercept the Augments. Commander Spock was listening.”

Jim’s pleasure at the upcoming ambush was tempered by McGivers presence still in that room. If Khan found out, he wouldn’t be happy.

“Chekov, come back to the console.”

“Captain, I have the Engineering room on the screen again and there are new indications on it.”

“What?” Jim asked as he walked back over to see the screen.

“Are you sure that four people are enough to protect you?” they heard Marla ask.

“Clever,” Jim said, admiration evident in his tone.

Khan didn’t seem to like the question, but the ensuing arrogance from him and calling Marla over told Jim that Khan was the indicator positioned in the middle of the room.

Jim scoffed to hear that he was apparently “a young fool who got lucky”. He had worked hard to get where he was and half the stuff they went through didn’t actually make it into their reports back to Starfleet.

Jim gripped the console hard and stared down at the communicator as he tried to visualize what he was hearing. Chekov had come to stand back by him.

“Will she be alright?” Chekov asked when Khan accused her of setting up the ambush.

“I don’t know,” Jim replied. “He did seem to care for her and love _can_ blind people.”

There were calls from the other people in the room, asking Khan for instructions and yelling at each other for more information.

He heard Marla crying out, her voice breaking as if she was crying and then the sounds were muffled and indistinct. Jim heard what he thought might be a scuffle of some sort, clothes rasping against each other and then Khan spoke clearly.

“Shh, it will all be over soon.”

Jim grabbed Chekov’s phaser off the console and flipped it on to kill.

“Get me in there, now!” Jim ordered as he pulled out his own phaser with his other hand and set it on kill as well.

“Captain?” Chekov asked, horror on his face as he started to come to the same conclusion as Jim.

“Now!” Jim yelled as he stood on the pad. “And get Security in there too!”

Chekov started the procedure, his fingers flying fast and sure over the console. “Energizing,” he said.

The last thing Jim heard from him, before he disappeared in the swirl of light was, “Good luck, Captain.”

Jim saw the Engineering room come into focus and he glanced around quickly, hands up and ready to start firing. Chekov had beamed him to a spot behind the others, who all had their backs turned to him and were watching Khan as he dropped McGivers onto the floor. Jim saw the console off to the side, which provided access to the door. He ran over to it and hit the access point, keying in his override as fast as his fingers could type.

“Hey!” one of the Augments yelled, finally spotting him.

He lifted up his phaser and started firing at them, while he put in the final code and hit open. He was in time, as the door started to open and Jim dived out of the way as a shot hit the console and sparks flew up into the air, remembering to grab the second phaser he had placed on the console.

Jim could see feet rushing in and Marla’s lifeless body lying on the floor, her hair streaming out in a gentle wave. In seconds, Jim was back on his feet and firing off shots toward the Augments as he ran for cover behind the far console. He kept as low a shape as possible as he ran, noting that Khan had his phaser out and was heading in Jim’s direction. Out the corner of his vision he saw one of the Augments backing away from the door. Jim took aim with his left hand and started firing at the woman.

Two shots had her crying out and crumpling down on the floor. Jim didn’t have time to savor the victory as a shot close to his hand had him dropping the phaser. His hand had obviously been sighted just outside of the console. He shook his hand and swore before he listened intently for any movement near him. The noise was chaotic, shots being fired in all directions, people yelling and bodies falling over or crashing into the walls and the consoles. Jim hoped that it was the Augments who were being hit. At least the ones he saw in his first quick look around the room didn’t have phasers on them. Khan did, though, and Jim wanted to get his hands on the man.

He got his wish as Khan stepped into his line of sight, firing toward the open doorway. Jim took his opportunity and fired off a couple of shots. The second one hit Khan, causing him to stumble--hence the third shot missing--and he turned in Jim’s direction, a murderous glare on his face. Jim watched as a shot hit the wall behind Khan, the light casting an eerie glow on the man for a moment. Khan turned to fire in Jim’s direction, so Jim launched himself from his crouching position and slammed his body into Khan’s.

They went down, Jim’s arm trapped underneath Khan’s body. The wind was knocked out of him for moment, which allowed Khan to twist and roll, forcing Jim sideways. Jim kicked out with his leg and held Khan off with his other arm. Jim’s phaser was now lying on the ground behind them but Khan still had one in his hand. Jim was holding onto Khan’s wrist for dear life, trying to keep it away from aiming at Jim.

Jim managed to get a leg free and wrapped it around one of Khan’s legs, rolling Khan back a little onto his side. Khan had his hand in Jim’s hair and pulled hard, causing Jim to yelp in pain. Yet the movement allowed Jim to get his trapped arm out and he wasted no time slamming his open palm into the side of Khan’s face, taking satisfaction from the smacking sound it made as it connected with Khan’s flesh.

Khan growled as he reared back and up, using his strength to twist Jim’s arm back down and started aiming the phaser in Jim’s direction. Jim bucked and twisted, trying to get the upper hand with Khan but he was too strong.

Jim looked in shock as he felt Khan jolt, cry out, and jolt again. Khan’s gripped loosened on the hand that Jim had slapped him with just before. Jim took Khan’s laxness as an opportunity and pulled his fist back. If he had savored the open handed slap before, the punch that he aimed and connected with Khan’s mouth was one of his greatest victories. He felt the skin break over his knuckles and pain exploded as he felt his bones connect with Khan’s teeth.

Khan’s eyes widened with shock and anger as his head snapped backwards. He yelled some primeval noise as he straddled Jim and brought his arm around to fire the phaser.

Jim felt the world move into slow motion as he saw the murderous intent on Khan’s face and then the phaser dropped from his hand, his arms spread wide, his mouth opened to cry out but no sound was forthcoming. Then everything sped up again and Khan collapsed forward onto him.

“Oof,” Jim grunted, as Khan’s solid body connected with him.

Jim blinked as sound came rushing back to him. There was no more yelling and chaos. Instead there was a low dull sound of quiet conversations and the sound of bodies being dragged across the floor.

“Jim,” he heard Spock say.

“Here,” Jim managed to get out as he tried to push Khan off himself. The man was a dead weight, but Jim noted that his chest was rising up and down. He was just stunned and not dead.

Spock came into Jim’s vision, looming over the top of him, and helped Jim get Khan off of him.

As Jim looked down at the man sprawled on the floor, he saw the phaser burns on the back of his clothing. Jim looked at the phaser in Spock’s hand.

“Do I have you to thank for that?” Jim asked.

Spock just looked at Jim, not answering and for Jim, it was answer enough.

“Thanks,” Jim said as he patted Spock on the arm. He could feel the adrenaline from the fight dissipating from his body, leaving him feeling all the aches and pains. “I want them in the Brig and I want him isolated from them with no means of contact.”

“The prisoners are being transferred there by Security. I will relay your order and arrange for suitable secure accommodation,” Spock said as he bent down to pick up Khan, none too gently, Jim was pleased to note.

Jim finally looked around the room. Scotty was going to be pissed when he saw the state of his control room. Sparks and fizzes were seen and heard from a few of the consoles that had taken some misdirected phaser fire. There was a dent in one of the low panels and his Security crew were removing the last of the Augments from the room, bodies completely relaxed and feet splayed upwards as they dragged along on the ground. They were like some life-sized parody of a doll, heads lolling downwards. Jim wasn’t sure which were dead bodies and which were only stunned.

Lying still in the middle of the room was her, the red of her uniform a splash of color on the grey floor. Jim walked slowly over to her and knelt down on the floor. The auburn red of her thick hair looked soft and Jim reached a hand out to touch it. It was as soft as he thought, and he gently moved his hand under her head and, with his other hand around her waist, he picked her up to rest over his legs.

Her eyes were closed and Jim noted that she was an attractive woman. A heart-shaped face, plump lower lip, with a natural pale pink color that many a woman would try and emulate with cosmetics. With her hair down, it softened her face even more. She looked to be at a peaceful rest.

oOo

Bones impatiently waited for the turbolift doors to open. Spock had called up to Sickbay to let him know that there had been firefight in the Engineering main control room and assistance was needed. He had then let slip that Jim was there but not unduly harmed. Chekov had come bursting into Sickbay at that moment, asking for help as he had managed to regain control access to the Bridge and was reversing the airflow there. Bones told Spock he would send a team down. He left Naxi in charge of Sickbay and the injured that still required treatment, while M’Benga was sent to select a team and go with Chekov to the Bridge. Bones ordered his own team to come with him to head down to Engineering.

As the doors to the turbolift opened, a security officer was standing and waiting for them.

Bones walked out of the lift and started toward the Engineering main control room. The security officer had his mouth open ready to speak but had to quickly catch up to Bones before he could do so.

“I’m Ensign Jones, sir. Mr. Spock told me to tell you that the Captain has sustained minor injuries and we have a number of the Augments who have been stunned. They are being taken to the Brig.”

“Good,” Bones said.

“Also two of our personnel have phaser burns. We are waiting to hear back from our teams who are rounding up the other Augments that were holed up in the Jeffries tubes.”

“Thank you,” Bones said as the doors to the Engineering main control room opened.

Against the console were the two security personnel. Bones noted the superficial burn marks and he turned to his team and told them to check them over. Bones then let himself glance in Jim’s direction.

Jim was kneeling on the floor and he had Lt. McGivers lying in his lap. Spock was standing watch over Jim and her.

“Jones, call Yeoman Rand down here please,” Bones said quietly before he walked over toward Jim, Spock and McGivers.

As he got closer, the stench reached him. He could see the drool glistening on McGivers’ chin and a glance lower showed the stains on her skirt and the pool on the floor. Jim didn’t glance up at him, he seemed oblivious to everything except the body in his lap.

“Rand’s on her way down,” Bones said quietly to Spock. “Let her know she needs to get Jim changed first and he won’t smell so good. I’ve sent M’Benga and a team with Chekov onto the Bridge. Lifesigns are all fine for them. They were just knocked out and should be back to rights in a few hours.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Spock replied. “The Captain?” he asked as he glanced downward.

“I’ll take care of it,” Bones replied. “Please go warn Rand.”

Bones stepped around so that he was facing Jim, the body of McGivers in between them. He knelt down, steeling himself as the stench became stronger with proximity.

“Hey Jim,” Bones said.

“Bones,” Jim said in surprise, looking up at him.

“Rand’s coming, Jim. You need to go with her,” Bones told him quietly.

Jim had seen many deaths in his time and Bones had seen more himself than he wished upon anyone, but a strangling death was not pretty. In this day and age most deaths were quick and a whole lot neater. There was still a lot of blood and blood he could handle. A strangling he had read and understood the technicalities of, but not been prepared for the actuality. It wasn’t just the urine smell, it was everything. All bodily functions were lost in a strangulation and the bruising around her throat spoke to Bones of the viciousness of her death.

“I can’t,” Jim said.

“They need you on the Bridge, Jim,” Bones said. He had seen this before in many others who were close to a particularly violent death. The high as you fight for your life and the lives of others, which is swiftly followed by the crash. Jim had experienced it a few times. Once Rand had him and cleaned him up, Bones knew he would be okay to finish the job they needed to do to ensure the ship was fully back in their hands. But Bones needed to get him away from the body. Later he would talk with Jim and check him over properly.

“The Bridge?” Jim asked.

“Yeah.”

“But who will look after her?” Jim asked, looking back down at the body.

“It’s okay, Jim. I’ll look after her. You trust me?” Bones said, looking earnestly at Jim, who was looking back at him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bones could see Spock talking with Rand, obviously explaining what was needed from her. Bones didn’t want her close enough to see exactly the state the body was in and only hoped he could get Jim to stand up and move away from her quickly.

Jim nodded at him.

“Good. Why don’t you give her to me? I see Rand over there and I am sure she has some reporting for you.”

Jim bit his bottom lip, it was his ‘thinking things over’ moment, just before he gave in. Bones knew he had gotten through to Jim.

“Okay,” Jim said as he lifted her up a bit to hand her over to Bones.

Bones held his hands out and let Jim transfer the body over. “I’ll look after her, promise.”

Jim slowly stood up, rubbing his hands on his pants as he looked down one last time at the body. He nodded again and then walked slowly over to the main doors where Spock was standing with Rand. Bones watched carefully as Rand talked with Jim, her hands clasped behind her back and, being careful not to touch him. She treated him as if she was giving him a report on a day when they hadn’t had their ship taken away from them. Bones noted that Jim’s posture slowly started to change. He stood up straighter, like the universe was his to command, and he walked away from Rand, making her follow after him. Spock stood still and stoic as usual, watching Jim walk away. When Spock turned back to face into the room, Bones knew that Jim was in the lift and on his way back to their room.

Bones carefully laid the body on the ground and stood up.

“Brewster. Arrange for transport to the morgue for the body, please.”

“Yes, sir,” Brewster replied as he rushed out of the room to comply with the order.

“Spock,” Bones said as he walked over to the First Officer. “I’ll check with my team here before heading back to Sickbay.”

“Yes, Doctor. I suggest you also take the opportunity to change as you requested of the Captain.”

Bones resisted rolling his eyes at Spock. “That’s why I’m going back. Got a change of clothes there. Let me know when all the Augments are rounded up. I will need to do an assessment of their injuries.”

“There are sixteen that have not been apprehended as yet, but Security assures me we should have them in the next ten minutes. The bodies are being arranged for transport to the morgue space.”

“I just bet you are timing them too,” Bones sardonically replied.

Spock opened his mouth to reply but Bones held up a hand. “Don’t bother, I already know the answer. Get Brewster to clean that up once he has transferred the body. Don’t get one of the Engineering staff, they aren’t used to it,” Bones said.

“Very well, Doctor.”

“As soon as I hear anything from the Bridge, I will let you know,” Bones said before he turned and walked away from Spock and back over to his team to get an update.

oOo

“I can do that,” Nyota said as she slowly pushed herself up off the ground. She had been sitting on the step down to the main Bridge area, but when Sanchez started to direct Lt. Alden and the technicians to fix up the Communications Station, she couldn’t sit still any longer.

A wave of dizziness came over her as she stood up too quick and she tried to regain her balance. “It’s okay,” she said as Brent, the nurse who had been checking her, held onto her arm to help steady her.

“You should be sitting down. The aftereffects of the anesthetic are still in your system,” Brent told her.

“I’ll be fine,” Nyota replied. “I pulled it apart, so I know how it goes back together,” she insisted as she tried to pull her arm out of Brent’s gentle but secure hold. She glared at his hand encasing her arm. For a slender man, he had a lot of strength.

“Please sit, Lt. Uhura, so I can finish the scan,” Brent said.

Nyota narrowed her eyes as she considered the request. She had made the mess of the station while trying to stay ahead of the Augments, so she should be the one to clean it up.

A hand on her shoulder had her jolting in shock at the contact. She turned to see who had touched her and blinked when she saw Spock. She hadn’t heard the door open, when normally she picked up on all the little things like that.

“Thank you, Lieutenant, I will speak to Lieutenant Uhura.” Spock was looking in Brent’s direction as he spoke.

“Yes, sir,” Brent replied.

“You are well?” Spock asked.

“I’m fine. I need to fix the station,” she said, looking over to where there was a heated discussion occurring about what wire went where.

“Dr. M’Benga,” Spock said, calling over the doctor.

“Yes, Mr. Spock?” Geoff asked as he walked over from where he had been talking with Hikaru and Pavel.

“Your recommendation for the Bridge crew?” Spock asked.

“Replacements have been called up and all are in place. Those crew who were on the Bridge when the narcotic was released have been advised that they are to rest and report to Sickbay prior to their next shift for medical release.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Spock said, effectively dismissing Geoff with a look. He gave Nyota another look, one that told her he was disappointed with her.

She raised her chin up, ready to protest again that she was fine, when she felt his finger tips touch her hand. A gentle Vulcan kiss and the little flutter from his fingers indicated how scared he had been for her.

“I am okay,” she said quietly, ignoring the protestations from Hikaru as Pavel tried to push him out the door.

“You did not hear me arrive on the Bridge,” Spock said.

“No,” she admitted, knowing that he had won the argument. Her senses had been tuned to his presence almost from the first moment he had walked into the classroom where she had first seen him at the Academy. That she didn’t realize just before that he had entered the Bridge, brought home that she did need to rest. She hated making mistakes and if she pressured to stay, she might do so.

Nyota dropped her head down to look at their hands, letting him know that she would do as he requested. He moved his fingers up for a longer caress against hers, sending a tingle down her spine. She knew that the feeling would be more intense for him.

Abruptly Spock dropped his hand away and turned from her. She looked over his shoulder to see Jim had entered the Bridge and was talking with Hikaru and Pavel. Pavel was as animated as ever, hands flashing up in the air, before they landed on his hips and he stuck his chin out in Hikaru’s direction.

Jim laughed at the pugnacious attitude from Pavel, before clapping his hand on Hikaru’s shoulder.

“Captain,” Spock said, getting Jim’s attention.

Jim nodded at Hikaru and Pavel before walking the couple of steps over to Spock and Nyota.

Nyota watched to see Hikaru heading back over to the helm, closely followed by Pavel. She frowned to see him return to his position, seemingly ordered by Jim. He had stopped to talk to Lt. Rahda who was seated at the helm.

“He’s just sending through the tactical logs. He has orders to head to his quarters after he does so,” Jim said, answering the question Nyota was just thinking about.

“Very good, Captain,” Spock replied. “Dr. M’Benga has informed me that all bridge crew have been released from duty and will be cleared by Medical before their next shift.”

Jim nodded as he looked at Nyota. “Nyota, you are okay?”

“Yes, sir,” Nyota said, smiling at Jim to let him know she was well. She realized that the longer she stayed up here, the more people who were going to keep asking her the same question, so it would be of strategic benefit to retreat to the calm of her room.

“Good. Now off my Bridge and rest, doctor’s orders and I am sure Spock would have ease of mind as well.” Jim smiled back at her. “Spock, I want all reports sent to me. I will work on the report in my office. You have the conn.”

Nyota looked at Spock and the look in his eyes promised her that he would come and see her as soon as he had discharged his duties. With a little nod, she left the room, leaving Spock and Jim to do what they do best, take charge.

oOo

Jim wandered into Sickbay and looked around. There were a few crew-members on beds being looked at and Jim walked over to offer a smile and a quick supportive chat with each of them. He had already received the information on what injuries and deaths had been sustained. Alpha shift was over, Bones had sent through the report on the detainees, and Jim was a little concerned that he hadn’t chased after Jim for a check up. This is why Jim was in the Sickbay.

Bones was standing over at the far corner and talking through something on a PADD with M’Benga. He had glanced up and nodded at Jim, when Jim had first entered and then gone back to his discussion with his second in command.

Jim finished up a final chat with the last remaining patient, who had missed most of the action because of the air-borne virus that had infected them the day of the Botany Bay’s discovery. Jim gave a pat on the knee to G’der and then walked slowly, trying to make it look casual, over to Bones and M’Benga.

“Captain,” M’Benga greeted him, while Bones kept looking at the PADD for a moment before he too looked up.

“Jim.”

“Reporting for my medical,” Jim said, deciding to cut right to the chase.

It had been strange to realize that he had gotten through the rest of the shift and hadn’t had a call to be checked out after the engagement.

“Talk to you later, Leonard,” M’Benga said as he walked away, leaving Bones and he alone.

“Fine, up on the bed,” Bones said, turning away to put the PADD down on the trolley.

“Here?” Jim asked. Normally Bones would see to him in one of the side rooms.

“Yes, here. Now get up.” Bones had turned back and had the scanner in his hand.

Jim hopped up onto the bed, swinging his legs up before Bones could glare at him. Bones pulled the screen around and was looking at various readouts before he started to run the scanner over Jim’s body. He alternated looking at the screen and checking where he was scanning. It was very different to a normal check-up, where Bones or he would be talking.

The silence was driving Jim a little nuts. There was still the normal sounds happening around them, but there wasn’t even a grumble for Bones about Jim’s injuries.

“The prisoners are okay?” Jim asked for wont of anything better to say.

Bones stopped his scanning to look at Jim. “You didn’t get the report?”

“Yeah, I got it.”

“And you didn’t read it,” Bones said almost under his breath as he went back to scanning.

“I read it,” Jim protested and hoped he didn’t sound like a petulant child as he spoke.

Bones sighed.

“It was just a conversation starter, sheesh,” Jim complained, knowing that there was no way to stop him sounding like a little kid. Bones was definitely a little ‘off’ and the talk was making it worse. “I hadn’t heard from you all afternoon, that’s all.”

“Been busy.”

“Never stopped you before.”

Bones slammed his hand down on the edge of the bed and Jim waited for the explosion of temper. It didn’t come, because Bones took a deep breath before speaking again.

“I knew you had things to do. Spock kept me updated and I had things here.” Bones had moved away as he spoke and picked up a regenerator from the trolley before stepping back over to the bed.

He picked up Jim’s hand and gently held it while he ran the regenerator over the top, healing the broken skin and the bruising from where Jim had punched Khan. Jim tried not to shiver from the little tingles that were always evident whenever skin had to be regenerated. He concentrated on the feeling of warmth from Bones’ palm instead.

“I’ve made an appointment for you with the counsellor for tomorrow. Don’t you dare protest.” Bones looked up at Jim at the last part. “Rand has the time and you will go. I have one too.” Bones stepped away and back to the trolley, moving things around and keeping his back to Jim. Jim knew he was avoiding something. If they were alone, Jim would have gotten off the bed and touched Bones. That Bones had made him get on a bed and be looked at in the main area, spoke volumes to Jim about Bones not wanting to be questioned about something.

“When?” Jim asked.

“1100,” Bones replied, standing still next to the bed. The regenerator was still in his hand. Jim was sure now that Bones’ little trip back to the trolley was definitely an avoidance tactic.

“Good, I need you at the start of the shift. We have to see Khan and the others. Protocol,” Jim said as he sat up.

“The Articles,” Bones stated, understanding exactly what they had to do tomorrow.

Jim could have organized it for this evening, but with all the adrenaline still likely to be running through people’s veins and the setting the ship back to rights, he was sure it would have been a stupid move. Scotty and Bones were needed as senior officers and Jim was sure a nights sleep would have them feeling a little more composed about standing in front of Khan and his people. For all his own temper, Jim knew he could hold it in better than those two, and Khan pushed all his buttons in the wrong way.

“Chin up,” Bones said as he reached a hand forward to tug down the edge of Jim’s shirt and undershirt so he had more skin showing on his neck.

The touch of Bones’ fingers on his skin had Jim bringing his own hand up to grip gently around Bones’ wrist. Not to stop him, but to make sure he didn’t lose the connection.

Like anytime Bones touched him, he felt the rush of light-headiness from shallow breathing, a flush on his skin and he flicked his tongue out to moisten his dry lower lip. He was alive, Bones was alive, and through not everyone survived, Jim wanted that connection with Bones back.

Jim was sure his lips were quirking up in a slight smirk as he noted the heat in Bones’ eyes as he stared back at Jim, the shallow breathing that Bones was doing, as if he had just run laps.

“Jim,” Bones whispered in warning, reminding Jim that they were in a very public place.

“Just glad to be here. Now, fix me doctor,” Jim said as he tilted his head back, but keeping an eye on Bones’ expression as he did so.

Jim’s smile got wider as he saw the flash in Bones’ eyes before he lowered his lids to focus on Jim’s neck and bring up the regenerator and get it to work on the bruises on his neck. Later, Jim promised himself, he would get Bones to open up about what he was trying to avoid telling Jim.

oOo

“Burly, how is our prisoner today?” Jim asked.

“Testy,” Burly replied. “He’s complaining about his meals and his accommodation.”

“Probably thinks he deserves to be in the Taj Mahal,” Bones said in what he probably thought was a _sotto voce_ tone.

“Bones,” Jim warned.

“What? You know that man has a heightened opinion of himself and he’s damn lucky he wasn’t sent out an airlock. And don’t you laugh,” Bones complained as he pointed a finger in Burly’s direction. “Cupcake!”

“We have rules and regulations, Doctor, and name calling is the code of the schoolyard,” Spock replied before Jim could try and get Bones to shut his mouth.

Jim knew why Bones was griping. They were about to come face to face with Khan again after everything and this was Bones’ way of getting his nervousness out of the way.

“At least he has stopped calling me that, you don’t seem so lucky,” Burly replied to Bones.

“Just you wait until it’s booster time,” Bones threatened.

Scotty tried to hold his snort of laughter in but he wasn’t successful.

“Gentlemen,” Jim warned.

“Fine,” Bones grumbled. “Lets get this over with.”

Burly opened the door and they all walked in. Jim noted that Security were taking no chances with Khan. He was secured to the wall by his arms, at a generous distance, and the three other cells were empty. Khan could still walk around in his holding cell, but his movements were restricted away from the front of it. His people had also been kept away from him, so that he could not plan another escape.

“How nice, visitors,” Khan said with a mocking tone.

“Khan Noonien Singh, I Captain James T. Kirk, under the authority invested in me by Starfleet Command, do hereby declare that you are to be held under arrest by order of Starfleet Security Protocol 11. You and your people will be held until we dock with Starbase 12, where you will be handed over to Starfleet Command for trial in relation to the death of Lieutenant Marla McGivers and the attempted takeover of a Starfleet vessel. You do not have to respond to these charges at this time. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. I state this to be a true and correct accounting of the matter,” Jim said.

“Captain, you have the authority,” Spock replied, ending the official notification that was required in the presence of four other Senior Officers.

“How pitiful,” Khan replied. “You can not order my execution. I was right to think you a weak and toothless tiger.”

“We have rules and regulations to follow and abide by. It is what sets us apart from barbarians,” Jim replied.

“Hah!” Khan replied. “You sent a woman in first. Scared to face me?”

Jim gritted his teeth at the mention of Marla. He thought back to the satisfaction he felt when his fist met Khan’s flesh. It wouldn’t bring her back, but for a moment, it gave Jim a sense of rightness.

“Leonard, see these inferior beings you are a part of? You are a man of courage who sent your women away and faced my men and I. You didn’t hide behind the skirts of a woman.” Khan was smiling in Bones’ direction and Jim felt him tense slightly.

“That woman was braver than I,” Bones replied. “She knew you and still offered to go in there.”

“She was weak and not worthy.”

“She was worthy of Starfleet,” Jim said. “She helped us bring you down. Your dream of ruling has come to an end.”

“This is such a small world that you rule, Captain. Only 800 people. A ship like this at your disposal and you just float around observing. What happened to our ambition?” Khan asked.

“That ambition was your undoing, Khan Noonien Singh,” Spock pointed out. “It was your downfall in the 1990s and it was your downfall again. A superior being would have learned from their mistakes, not repeat them.”

“I do not make mistakes,” Khan proclaimed.

“I think the bonds you are currently in might beg to differ,” Burly pointed out.

Scotty and Bones tried to hide their laughter. Khan just glared at them and raised his chin in an attempt at a defiant but ultimately empty gesture.

“You think you are superior because of your technology. Nothing ever changes, except man. Your technical accomplishments? Improve a mechanical device and you may double productivity. But improve man and you gain a thousand fold. I am such a man. Let me out of here and I shall show you the adventure you all crave. The worlds that can be conquered and ruled with the technology at your hands.”

“The only ruling you will be doing will be in a penal colony, which seems apt considering the name of your ship,” Scotty pointed out.

“We serve the Federation. We have adventure and see the wonder of new worlds and people and appreciate it all without restricting via the bonds of captivity,” Jim added.

“ _‘Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven,’_ ” Khan quoted.

“Milton,” Jim replied with a disdainful snort. “Apt that you quote Satan. He did end up believing his own lies, and he lost. We Humans went on. He was all about his own desire for power, like you. The rights of the individual are beyond the learning of creatures like Satan. I can only hope that you end up learning the lesson of _Paradise Lost_. Gentleman, I think we are done here.”

Jim turned and walked out of the room, ignoring Khan’s cries for him to return. Once the door had closed behind them all, Jim turned toward Burly.

“Keep him under continual surveillance. I don’t think he will ever stop wanting to escape and the sooner he is off my ship, the happier I will be,” Jim said.

“You and me both, Captain,” Burly replied.

“I hate to say it, as a Scotsman, but I am not familiar with the quote,” Scotty said.

“It’s what Lucifer said as he fell down to the pit. I think it’s an epic you would appreciate, Scotty.”

“Maybe Captain, but not sure if I could read it and not think of that one,” Scotty said as he tilted his head in the direction of the Brig.

“True. How’s the repairs going in Engineering?” Jim asked slapping Scotty on the shoulder and directing him toward the outer door and back out into the corridor.

“Well, there are one or two little improvements I might like to suggest to you, Jim,” Scotty said with a sly smile.

“I might consider them while we have a discussion about these areas within the Jeffries tubes’ that seem to be able to override the control rooms,” Jim replied, not even bothering to hide the smirk on his face.

“Well, I think I should be getting back to Engineering. Lots to do after all,” Scotty turned and walked quickly in the opposite direction.

Jim laughed at Scotty avoiding the conversation. He grinned at Bones who was just standing there, with his arms crossed but a little smile playing across his lips.

“I wonder if Lieutenant Commander Scott will realize that it will take him 4.23 minutes longer to get to Engineering via the circuitous route he is currently undertaking?” Spock asked.

“Doubt it. I also wonder if I will get back the 2 minutes it took you to just say that he’s going the wrong way in order to not have to talk to the pair of you?” Bones asked.

Jim laughed at the affronted look on Spock’s face; which meant that there was a little tick on his forehead as he strongly resisted raising an eyebrow in Bones’ direction.

“On that note, Jim, Spock, I shall copy Scotty and head back to my section,” Bones stated before he too walked off, down the side corridor toward the turbolift that would take him back closer to Sickbay.

“C’mon Spock, let’s get back to our Bridge,” Jim said as he gestured down the corridor.

“Indeed,” Spock replied.

oOo

  



	15. 'Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven' - Epilogue

Jim was sitting at the computer, still staring at the screen. Bones sighed as he realized that he needed to talk to the man. He berated himself for a moment for being a coward for pretending to be asleep the night before, when Jim had got back to their room. Jim was normally the one doing the avoiding after a mission. Bones had needed the time to sort through things in his own head first, though.

“What is so interesting that you need to stare at it for five minutes?” Bones asked.

Jim thumped the desk.

“Okay, so it’s not interesting but annoying instead,” Bones said.

“I should have been able to stop him earlier.”

“Jim,” Bones said, waiting for Jim to look in his direction before continuing. “You’re a good man, but you ain’t perfect.”

“I’m like him more than I wish I was,” Jim said.

“Nonsense,” Bones said, snorting his disapproval at the stupidity of that comment from Jim. “You both might have been in charge of others’ lives, but there is a world of difference between a captain and a dictator. I’m a bit fond of the captain I have.”

“I sent my people into danger, like he did,” Jim pointed out.

“He willingly sent them as canon fodder and didn’t care how many were injured. I heard what Spock said about the first wave that came out of the Transporter room. Remember I had to note those deaths and injuries. They were just used by him for his ultimate goal to take the ship.”

“How is that any different to what I did sending Marla into that room with him?” Jim asked.

“Because he is bound to that wall and not sparing a thought to those lives lost apart from how it didn’t get him what he wanted. You don’t think the same way he does and you never have,” Bones pointed out as he put his own PADD aside and stood up from his chair to walk over to Jim. “You consider the greater good, but would rather put yourself in harms way first. Can’t say I’m too pleased about it, but that’s you. It was the best option at the time with battles on multiple fronts. I hate to agree with that damn computer but he is right. It was the most _’logical path to take.’_ ”

“Quoting his report, Bones?” Jim asked as he looked up.

“He showed it to me,” Bones offered as he sat down next to Jim on the couch.

“Well, I wasn’t the only one who put themselves in harms way,” Jim pointed out. “Next time, get on the other side of the door before putting Sickbay into lock-down.”

Bones resisted the temptation to respond with a, ‘whatever.’ Jim was a little too close to the pot, kettle, black scenario that Bones didn’t want to admit to.

“Are we going to end up like the Augments?” Jim asked. “Darwin’s theory, aren’t Khan and his people fated to be the next evolution of humans?”

“Survival of the fittest? Yes and no. Fittest does not necessarily mean the strongest. Khan and his people are stronger, and they are cunning, but they lack what we have and why we were able to defeat them. Empathy. A good leader is concerned for the people under his care. Khan wasn’t and never would be. They might have been strong, but Spock would be the first to tell you that was their downfall. Ordinary humans beat them last time and we beat them again this time. We are the fittest.”

“True,” Jim admitted. “I just saw...” Jim shrugged.

“You aren’t the same, Jim. Similar, but not the same. He saw Marla’s past in the way she reacted and used her for his own end. You didn’t want to use her.”

“I should have known really. I should have seen the signs with her,” Jim said. “I’m still a bit pissed at you for not telling me straight away.”

“I needed to observe myself before I reported it to you. She hid it well. I didn’t even pick it up until the dinner and then it was only a niggling suspicion. We both missed things. Do we really want to sit here and talk recriminations all night?” Bones asked.

Jim shrugged and glanced back at the screen.

“That your report?” Bones asked.

“No, that’s done. This is further recommendations about dealing with incursions on a Starship for Starfleet to consider and possibly use for training.”

Bones shook his head at how Jim could still surprise him, even after eight years of nearly living in each other’s pockets.

“Bones, she has no family listed,” Jim said.

“I know.”

“What do I do with her commendation? I know it normally gets sent and put on her file in these cases, but it should be read by someone, not stored away.”

“We know it. She was a brave woman,” Bones said. “She stood up to not one, but two abusers. The first scarred her, but she made a break for it. It made her susceptible to Khan, who recognized it in her. She then made the decision to run from him and then to go back into that room to face him, while she was probably scared shitless. That takes more courage than I think I have.”

“Has her coffin been sealed yet?” Jim asked.

“Why?” Bones asked, a little taken aback by Jim’s question.

“I want to put it in there with her,” Jim said.

“Get me a PADD tomorrow and I will arrange it,” Bones said.

“She had hardly lived her life Bones, and most of it seemed to have been crap.”

“Some would say she was lucky to have been assigned on the _Enterprise_ ,” Bones pointed out. “History was her passion and she got to see some it come alive in front of her eyes.”

“Do you think that was a comfort to her in her last moments?” Jim asked.

Bones dropped his head back onto the cushioned back of the couch and looked up at the ceiling of their room. He thought back to the view of Marla being held gently by Jim. Her eyes closed looking peaceful and making a mockery of her demise. The ring of bruises on her throat like a necklace of purple and green anger.

He looked back at Jim before speaking, feeling a weight of sorrow at the loss of a life of a woman who was trying to atone for her mistakes and would never know that she did and had saved so many lives.

“No.”

oOo

**Author's Note:**

>  **Title:** ‘Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven’  
>  **Betas:** aquila_star and dizilla
> 
>  **Series:** ST XI  
>  **Character/Pairing(s):** Kirk/McCoy, Spock/Uhura, Khan/Marla McGivers, Sulu, Chekov, Scotty, Chapel, Rand, Cupcake and various other OCs  
>  **Rating:** NC17  
>  **Word Count:** 55,096  
>  **Warnings:** Violence, psychological manipulation, mention of past abusive relationships, character deaths (not senior crew)
> 
>  **Summary:** In the last year of their first five year mission, the crew of the _Enterprise_ come upon a ship, silent and mysterious. The past is about to meet the future.
> 
>  **Link to Fic:** [Master post on LJ here](http://nikki4noo.livejournal.com/128659.html)  
>  **Link to Art:** [Art here](http://meloyhaberman.livejournal.com/1068.html)  
>  **Link to Mix:** [ Mix here](http://hate-blueprint.livejournal.com/779.html)
> 
>  
> 
>  **Author notes:** This is a reboot of the TOS ‘Space Seed’ episode. As I have used dialogue from the original episode, I have noted that in the fic with the use of a colour change,  like this. The colour chosen should show up nicely as well, if you use style light to read the fic in. The teleplay was written by Gene L. Coon and Carey Wilber, from a story by Carey Wilber.
> 
> I want to thank my two cheerleaders in 7ofEleven and lesser_panda, who, with my betas, listened to me whine about and workshop this fic for a considerable period of time. This was my original idea for my first BigBang last year, but certain photos took my attention instead and I realised that to do this idea justice I needed to do more research. I was glad to take the time as I have quite enjoyed writing this and I hope that everyone enjoys reading it and getting to know the characters.
> 
> This story is part of my ‘Rascally’ verse fics (see my Star Trek fic master list [here](http://nikki4noo.livejournal.com/48542.html) for the list of stories). It fits just before “Tapotement” and as such I have re-written and added further scenes to that story. I will be posting the new story in a months time. You don’t have to have read the previous stories to read this one.


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